Born in Roswell, New Mexico, Jo Ann grew up in a military family.  It was on a brief layover in Hawaii on the way to Japan that she fell in love with the state.  Years later, she found her way back to Hawaii.  She married, became a nurse, and worked in the neonatal unit of Kapiolani Medical Center.  As a coach and referee for AYSO soccer, she enjoyed helping children develop positively and gain confidence in themselves. Jo Ann has been studying the Hawiian language since 2000 through Hawaiian language and culture classes.  Volunteering at a local Punana Leo preschool, (a Hawaiian medium education preschool) helps her further her learning of the language. Her writing focuses on events in Hawaii as well as other stories that have ties to the area.