JoAnn Gama is a prominent leader in the field of educational reform, with a lifelong commitment to improving educational outcomes for underserved communities. Born and raised on the northside of Houston, JoAnn graduated from Sam Houston High School in 1993 and went on to earn a full scholarship at Boston University. Her journey in education began in earnest when she joined Teach For America in 1997, which led her to the Rio Grande Valley where she completed her master’s degree in Educational Leadership at the University of Texas - Pan American.

In 1998, JoAnn co-founded IDEA Public Schools alongside fellow Teach For America corps member Tom Torkelson. Starting her journey as a principal, JoAnn's leadership trajectory at IDEA included serving as Chief Operating Officer, where she oversaw critical auxiliary services such as transportation, child nutrition, construction, building maintenance, technology, and human resources. She later ascended to Chief of Schools and Superintendent, roles in which she managed regional executive directors tasked with ensuring exemplary program implementation and maintaining high academic standards, culminating in A letter grades for schools and achieving 100% college admission for students. Ultimately, JoAnn served as Chief Executive Officer, where she was responsible for leading over 8,000 staff, serving 70,000 students, and managing an annual budget approaching one billion dollars. Through her visionary leadership across these roles, JoAnn significantly contributed to IDEA's growth from a single school to a vast network educating tens of thousands of students across Texas.

Following her tenure at IDEA, JoAnn took on a pivotal role at Phalen Leadership Academies, focusing on turnaround strategies and leading talent management initiatives including hiring, onboarding, and the professional development of teachers and leaders. Recognizing the unique challenges faced by smaller charter schools, she founded Gama Educational Management Services (GEMS) to support their growth and replication. GEMS offers targeted services such as C-Suite coaching, a National Principal in Residence Program, a comprehensive New Teacher Institute, and a Leadership Institute for school teams.

JoAnn's profound impact on education has been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including the Peter Jennings Award for Civic Leadership, induction into the Charter School Hall of Fame, and fellowships with Pahara and The Broad Center. She has been honored as a Distinguished Leader and Pillar of Success by the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and received appointments to prestigious bodies such as President Barack Obama's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. JoAnn's dedication to service has also been acknowledged with the Americorps Make a Difference Award and the Annual Governor's Volunteer Award.

JoAnn resides in Edinburg, Texas, with her husband, Juan, and their two children, Gael and Jimena who both attend IDEA Public Schools. She continues to leverage her extensive experience and passion for educational equity to develop future educators and leaders, making a lasting difference in the communities she serves.