A desire for peace on the planet beginning with the individual is what drew Joanne McFadden to the ministry. Her teaching style is designed to be transformative and nurturing. Born in Long Beach, California to her parents as a demonstration of their affirmative prayer work, Joanne was raised in the Science of Mind teaching. Joanne lives with her husband, Scott, and daughters, Sara and Morgan, in Saratoga County.

She grew up in the Camarillo Center for Spiritual Living, the spiritual community her parents founded, and was active as a youth group member, Sunday School teacher, choir member, and student in Science of Mind classes. She had the honor of being the first youth speaker at the Religious Science International Asilomar Conference in 1985. Today, she remains active in the Religious Science teen program as an advisor and on the leadership team for the Northeast Region Religious Science Youth Seminars.

Joanne earned her B.A. degree in Russian and International Relations from Goucher College in Baltimore and worked in Washington, D.C. She has worked as a journalist for the past 19 years.

Joanne is a licensed Religious Science Minister and Practitioner. She graduated with a Masters in Consciousness Studies from Holmes Institute School of Consciousness Studies, the seminary for United Centers for Spiritual Living (UCSL), in 2009. In October 2008, to live her passion for teaching the Science of Mind, she founded the New Thought New York Center for Spiritual Living, a teaching chapter of UCSL.