Joanna Leary
Chief Branding + Communications Officer
The Role
Joanna is responsible for building and promoting Charter Oak’s brand both internally and externally. From the firm’s website to print collateral to employee communications, anything designed or written for Charter Oak has most likely come from Joanna’s desk. She also coaches Charter Oak’s advisors in the branding and marketing of their individual practices.
The Story
Joanna created her first marketing piece around age five—a hand-drawn flyer advertising the products her mother sold at local craft fairs. Naturally drawn to writing and art throughout her childhood, she studied journalism in college in hopes of becoming an editor. Instead, a fortuitous turn of events led her to a copywriting job for a small software company’s marketing department. Armed with an ear for a story and an eye for design, Joanna realized she could actually get paid to do something she loved.
A criss-cross from New Hampshire to Washington, DC to New York City and finally to Connecticut led Joanna to Charter Oak, where she continues to do what she loves.
Joanna lives in West Hartford, Connecticut with her husband, two daughters and loyal mutt.