Joan Kennedy
Joan Kennedy
Urban Planner/Faith-Based Social Justice Advocate
Joan Kennedy came from Williamsburg, Virginia when she entered the Architecture School at UVa, where she earned a BS in Architecture in 1974. After two years working in the Design and Planning Assistance Center at the University of New Mexico, Joan moved to Hampton, Virginia to begin 30 years in local government, including becoming the first female City Planning Director in Virginia. Her most notable work was in reinventing government, citizen engagement and neighborhood empowerment. After retiring, she earned a MA in Theology and began a second career in “church work” with a primary emphasis on intergenerational faith formation, forming pastoral councils and parish strategic planning. In response to the George Floyd murder, Joan met the challenge of forming a grassroots nonprofit Virginia Catholics for Racial Justice where she shares her passion for faith and justice, and her skills in strategic planning and organizational development.