Background

    Joan Zaro earned a B.A. from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Connecticut.  She served as a faculty member in the University of Washington Department of Psychology for five years.
    Joan began her career in association management when she joined the staff of the American Psychological Association (APA) in Washington, DC.  During her decade at APA she achieved progressively higher levels of administrative responsibility, ultimately serving as Deputy Executive Director.  
    She then moved to the American Pharmaceutical (now Pharmacists) Association (APhA) as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, a position she held for ten years.  Joan later become Executive Director of the Autism Society of America (ASA), guiding the organizational through a highly challenging transition involving significant, rapid reorganization and growth. 
    In 2000, she joined The Endocrine Society as Senior Director, Governance and Policy where she served for eight years before establishing Zaro Consulting.

    Joan holds the Certified Professional Coach (CPC) credential from the College of Executive Coaching and the Certified Association Executive (CAEret) credential from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE).  She has been a career-long member of the American Psychological Association, and currently of APA’s Division of Consulting Psychology and the Society for Psychologists in Management.  
    Joan and husband, Carl Thomason, live in Fredericksburg, VA with their rescued Labrador Retriever mix.  They also raised two Lab puppies as part of the Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) service dog program.  Joan has volunteered for many years with Lab Rescue of the Potomac (LRCP, Inc.).