Joan Marshall Wesley, PhD is Associate Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at Jackson State University, Jackson, MS. She teaches planning theory and a full complement of courses in community development and housing. Her work emphasizes the intersection of stakeholder empowerment and community-based participatory research to promote healthy and sustainable communities. Joan’s research focuses upon community/neighborhood revitalization and housing; social determinants of health; social, climate, energy, and environmental justice; and critical pedagogy. Through engaged scholarship, she collaborates with students to connect university resources to community needs, resulting in the co-creation of knowledge gained through reciprocal learning. Publication outlets include Societies Journal; Progressive Planning; Public Health Research, Practice, and Policy; The Community Development Journal; Race, Gender and Class Journal; and a chapter in Planning and LGBTQ Communities: The Need for Inclusive Queer Space.
A long-term UAA member, Joan has chaired UAA’s Program Committee and the Alma H. Young Emerging Scholar Award Committee; served as member on the Conference Site Selection Committee, the Ama H. Young Emerging Scholar Award Committee, and currently, the Activist Scholar Award Committee. She presents at UAA’s annual conferences, and recently served as panelist for the 2022 Fall Teaching Webinar.
Joan is committed to advancing UAA’s efforts to foster opportunities for scholars, practitioners, students, and others to engage as a global community, addressing complex issues and expanding equity and justice in urban spaces and rural places. Board membership will allow her to work collaboratively with others to explore and extend these efforts in service to UAA.