JOANNE BIRNBERG (Beachside Book Club) was born and grew up in Butler, PA, located northwest of Pittsburgh. She attended (and graduated from) American University in Washington, DC. She came home for about another 10 years, before she moved up to New York State in the early 1980’s. While teaching has always been her preferred career, she’s also

worked as a secretary, proofreader, copywriter (for both a radio station and small

publishing company, at different times), assistant in a company that made color and

as an office clerk. However, she has always felt most at home in front of the classroom and taught English, Reading, Special Education, high school GED and Adult ESL classes.

She and Gary both retired in 2008 and moved to Palm Bay in August, 2017. They

have a grown daughter who bought a house with her boyfriend in Caledonia, NY

(outside of Rochester), who they visited for a very chilly week in October, 2023.

Joanne and Gary love living in Florida and she is very happy to have found

Shepherd’s Center.