Joan A. Gillman

Having taught second and fourth through sixth-grade science, Joan A. Gillman currently teaches second, fourth, and sixth-grade science and leads the K-8 Green Team at the Browning School in New York City since 2018. She began her teaching career as a fifth-grade teacher at the St. Angela Merici School in the Bronx, New York, in 1982, remaining in this role for one year before transferring to teach fourth and fifth grade at Joytown Kent Elementary School from 1983 to 1984. She then taught sixth-grade language arts and social studies at the Bede School in Englewood, New Jersey, from 1984 to 1986, fourth through sixth-grade mathematics and science, and fourth and fifth-grade language arts and social studies at the Professional Children’s School in New York from 1986 to 2006, and fourth and fifth-grade science at Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia, New Jersey, from 2006 to 2007. Following this, Ms. Gillman was a fifth and sixth-grade mathematics and science teacher at Yeshivat Noam in Paramus, New Jersey, for one year before joining the Calhoun School in New York as a fifth and sixth-grade science teacher from 2008 to 2018.

Prior to the start of her professional career, Ms. Gillman pursued a formal education at Felician University (previously known as Felician College) in Rutherford, New Jersey, earning a Bachelor of Education, summa cum laude, in 1980. She then attended New York University, where she attained a Master of Education in 1982. Additionally, Ms. Gillman has been a certified elementary education educator for grades K-8 in the State of New Jersey. Likewise, she became a National Geographic certified educator in 2019, which included a three-part certification, designing several lesson plans and filming a capstone video. She received exemplary grades on all of her submissions. In the summer of 2022, Ms. Gillman became a Modern Classroom Project educator after a five-week online course. She most recently received the IAOTP Award for Top Educator of 2025.

In March 2026, Ms. Gillman was appointed as a United Nations Representative to the AWWG at the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Regarding the appointment, she said it “is both a privilege and a responsibility. In this role, I look forward to contributing meaningfully to global dialogue, polciy advocacy, and multi-stakeholder collaboration aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in areas of sustainable development, inclusive growth, and international cooperation.” She continued: “I am grateful for the trust placed in me and look forward to working alongside global leaders, policymakers, civil society organizations, and fellow representatives to support initiatives that create measurable, long-term impact. Thank you to everyone who has supported this journey. I remain committed to service, collaboration, and advancing solutions that contribute to a more sustainable and equitable future.”