Joan F. Neal is an Associate of the National Black Sisters Conference, a member of the Ecumenical Faith Table in Washington, DC, and the Black Catholic Theological Symposium. She has served in many leadership positions throughout her career and ministry, including as CEO of her consulting firm in organizational development and strategic planning. Most recently, she served as Interim Executive Director at NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, a national Catholic advocacy ministry, and before that, as the organization’s first Deputy Executive Director and Chief Equity Officer. She is the first woman of color to serve in those roles.

Previously, Ms. Neal served as Vice President and Chief Planning Officer at Cabrini University, formerly in Radnor, PA, leading strategic planning, Human Resources, Diversity, and Mission Integration. Prior to joining Cabrini, she was Executive Vice President at Catholic Relief Services in Baltimore, MD, where she founded the U.S. Operations Division, developed and led the agency’s U.S. Catholic outreach, oversaw national public policy and legislative advocacy, and served on the Executive Management Team.

Before relocating, Ms. Neal had a successful career in the financial services industry in Chicago, IL, serving as Banking Center President, Vice President, and Officer at several large banks.

She currently chairs the Board of the Youth Democracy Institute, a civic education organization for youth and young adults. She also serves on the Board of the Sister Thea Bowman Foundation for Black Catholic Education, the Advisory Council of the National Black Catholic Congress, and the Mission Committee of the Board of the University of the Incarnate Word. She is a Life Trustee at Catholic Theological Union and a former member of the Boards of the Center for Migration Studies in New York, the National Catholic Reporter Newspaper, and Jesuit Refugee Services USA.

Ms. Neal holds an Honorary Doctor of Ministry; a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies and a Certificate in Biblical Spirituality, from Catholic Theological Union (Chicago, IL). She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from Loyola University (Chicago, IL.)