Joann V. Kling was born and raised in California. She currently resides in San Diego. At age 12, she went to France and has been a Francophile ever since.
She attended many colleges and universities including Cal Berkeley, Middlebury and Coe College. Her French schools include Poitiers, Besancon, and Strasbourg from which she has a Masters in Linguistics. She has a Masters and PhD in Seventeenth Century French Literature from Tulane University. She spent nearly forty years in the Semiconductor industry working in supply chain management primarily in factories in Asia and Europe as well as Silicon Valley.
In 2007 she lost her family home in a wildfire. Since then, she has been an active member of Fired Up Sisters a nonprofit women’s’ support group for wildfire survivors. She serves as treasurer for the Fired Up Sisters, for the San Diego VOAD, as well as Paw Philanthropy, a nonprofit organization that helps dogs in need.
She has always carried a camera, but has only recently pursued photography. She thrives on traveling internationally and photographing wildlife.