Joan Wincentsen
“AHRF honors its time-tested legacy of fueling hope and determination in the advancement of scientific knowledge to overcome hearing and balance disorders of the inner ear. The need to better understand and address these conditions has not gone away. And our commitment to the cause remains steadfast.”
—Joan Wincentsen
Joan Wincentsen brings tremendous determination to her role as Executive Director of AHRF. She recognizes the meaningful contributions the Foundation has made over the last 60-plus years and is driven to help AHRF build on that heritage. Wincentsen has more than a decade’s worth of experience in nonprofit management and administration through her work with the association management firm, Apex Management & Special Events, Inc., and as Executive Director of the patient advocacy organization, Conquer Myasthenia Gravis. Earlier in her career, Wincentsen worked for 20 years in communication project management—including time as a communications consultant with the compensation and benefits consulting firm, Hewitt Associates—and as a freelance writer. Her well-honed skills in fundraising, budget management, program development, and marketing all are great contributors to the strength and success of AHRF and its mission. A lifelong Illinoisan, Joan earned her MA from Northwestern University in English and her BA in Mathematics and English Literature from the University of St. Francis.