Joanna James is an award-winning filmmaker and dedicated advocate for women.
ABOUT
Joanna James is a changemaker dedicated to sharing stories and raising voices through filmmaking and advocacy.
She’s the director, writer, and producer of the award-winning documentary, A Fine Line, with its national broadcast premiere on PBS gaining over 120 million viewers and was awarded Vanity Fair’s “Best Documentary by a first-time filmmaker.” Through her filmmaking and advocacy she has impacted policy change, created greater access to mentorship and resources for women in the culinary and hospitality industries across the globe building an international community.
She is Founder and CEO of MAPP, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit transforming the landscape of the culinary and hospitality industries into a more inclusive and thriving community where every woman’s potential is reached. MAPP produces an annual conference and advocacy summit on Capitol Hill bringing together world renowned chefs, culinary and hospitality professionals, media, legislators and Fortune 500 companies including long standing partners like PepsiCo, Delta Air Lines, Distinguished Vineyards and Marriott International.
Joanna is a keynote speaker, focusing on the topics of women in leadership and advancing inclusivity in the workplace, as well as motivational speaking for girls. She has spoken to cohorts at influential organizations like Google, PepsiCo, and Chevron, and prestigious universities including Harvard and The Culinary Institute of America. Her film work directing and producing, including branded content, has been featured in The O Magazine, NPR, Forbes, The Boston Globe, Food & Wine, and The James Beard Foundation.
Prior to filmmaking, Joanna was a newspaper reporter at The Boston Globe,where she was awarded Best Environmental Reporting from the New England Press Association and covered the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens.
Her passion for impacting the lives and careers of women was ignited by a deep gratitude for the sacrifices of her ancestors, and the love of her three daughters, Ava, Mariella, and Zoe. Joanna is leading a movement of women reaching their full potential and with three kids, she couldn’t do it without the love and support of her husband, the ultimate feminist.
FILMMAKING
Our vision is to raise the voices of the unheard through films that inspire and create empathy. We do this in various formats — documentaries or docuseries, branded content, and film.
Film
Branded Content
Docuseries
The Restaurant Ecosystem
ADVOCACY
MAPP is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to transforming the landscape of the hospitality & culinary industry into a more inclusive and thriving community where every woman’s potential is reached by empowering women to lead through Mentorship, Advocacy, Purpose, and the Power of community (MAPP).
SPEAKING
Joanna James’ personal mission is to inspire empathy and action through her filmmaking, advocacy work, and public speaking, to amplify voices leading to cultural and policy change. She speaks on the culinary and hospitality industries, specifically, women in leadership and advancing equity efforts and policies in the workplace.
She has spoken to cohorts at influential organizations like Google, PepsiCo, and Chevron, and prestigious universities including Harvard and The Culinary Institute of America.
