Joan Lombardi, Ph.D. is a Research Professor at the Public Policy Institute, Georgetown University, Washington, DC; and the Chair of the Birth to Five Policy Alliance.　 She　serves as an advisor to a number of foundations and innovative policy initiatives within the United States and around the world.　　Joan served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and External Affairs in the Administration for Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services, and as the first director of the Child Care Bureau.

In 2004,　Joan launched Global Leaders for Young Children, in partnership with The World Forum Foundation and　served as a senior fellow with The Global Fund for Children. Currently she is　on the Educational Leadership Council of Save the Children and on the boards of Global Action for Children and Voices for America's Children.　

Joan is the author of Time to Care: Redesigning Child Care to Promote Education, Support and Build Communities, and co-editor of A Beacon of Hope: The Promise of Early Head Start for American's Youngest Children. She lives in Washington DC and is the proud mother of a wonderful daughter and terrific son.