Joanna Poinsatte

(she/her/hers)

As the Assistant Director of Study Abroad Enrollment Management, I work with a unique group of programs that includes the UW Wisconsin in Washington DC program, UW Graduate Research and Fellowship programs, and Global Gateway summer programs, among others. I attended college at the University of Notre Dame and earned my B.A. in Psychology. My grandmother was born and raised in France, so I was always interested in French language and culture. As a student-athlete, finding a good time to study abroad was difficult, but I was able to attend a summer program in Paris, France. Studying abroad was my first time leaving the US, which made me very nervous, but the experience helped me to become more independent and comfortable with new situations. These skills were especially useful when I came to Wisconsin for the first time to attend the Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis Master’s program in UW-Madison’s School of Education. Having grown up in Tennessee, it took a bit of time to adjust to Wisconsin winters, but I’ve embraced the cold by learning to ice skate. During the rest of the year, I enjoy hiking, biking and baking.