Joanna Christian

Joanna Christian serves as a business development and strategic partnerships leader, where she has spent a little over two years spanning global business development through corporate housing, hospitality, relocation, and enterprise sales. She has developed a reputation for turning conversations into long-term opportunities and relationships that promote powerful business throughout the industry. Christian earned her degree from the University of Alabama in pre-law, political science, and international relations, with an initial aspiration to become an international humanitarian lawyer. After graduating, she taught high school and kindergarten abroad for over five years, including work with refugees and displaced children in Cairo, Egypt. When the hotel business faced challenges during COVID, she transitioned into corporate housing to serve clients at a higher level and partner with organizations for growth. She is a member of WERC (Worldwide Employee Relocation Council), CHPA (Corporate Housing Providers Association), TRC (Tennessee Relocation Council), NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction), and East Tennessee Economic Development. Christian has completed TICA courses and volunteers with CASA in Monroe County, a nonprofit that recruits and trains court-appointed volunteers to advocate for children in the legal system due to abuse or neglect. She emphasizes leading with heart while negotiating effectively and believes women can be ambitious, outspoken, feminine, compassionate, and strong without contradiction.