Joan Coleman describes herself as a life-long learner, a trait she learned from her parents. Raised in Erlanger, Kentucky, in a large family that had a strong work ethic and interest in calculus and physics, Coleman, whose family name is Adkisson, followed two of her brothers into the engineering profession. In addition to her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Kentucky, Coleman earned a master’s degree in public and private management from Birmingham-Southern College.
