— LISTEE'S SPOTLIGHT —

Joan Ava Gillman is an award-winning educator at The Browning School, where she brings more than 40 years of expertise in teaching and curriculum development. She holds a Master of Arts in education from New York University and began teaching in 1982. Throughout her career, she has taught all academic subjects at the elementary school level as well as middle school math and science. Since 2018, she has taught science to lower and middle school students.
Ms. Gillman is an in-demand speaker and presenter known for her STEM curricula including “Straw Rockets are Out Of This World” and “Mars Here We Come.” She is a National Geographic-certified educator and is proud to serve as a mentor and resource to educators both within her school and nationwide. As part of her commitment to excellence, Ms. Gillman maintains a lifelong learning ethos and a dedication to continuous growth in order to support future generations of students in achieving their goals. Among her many other honors, Ms. Gillman was recently presented with the Top Educator of the Year 2025 award by the International Association of Top Professionals.