Joanna Culligan

I am a parent, partner, music therapist, instructor and researcher at Virginia Tech. As a collaborative and creative creature, my main goal is to make opportunities for and encourage connection between people. I specialize in working with persons who are experiencing dementia and their care-partners using evidence-based musical approaches through neurologic research discovery to improve their communication and engagement. I am passionate about breaking down stigmas associated with aging and dementia. As an instructor, I emphasize being present as a cornerstone of guidance with the hopes of creating the next generation of gerontology enthusiasts.