Born in Chicago, Illinois, Dr. joyce gillie gossom has spent her life going against the grain.  At the age of 16, she felt so connected to the poetry and style of e.e. cummings that her mother let joyce legally change her name to all lowercase letters, which is frequently met with resistance.

joyce’s more than 40 years of professional experience range from special education teacher to elected official, organizational consultant, leadership coach and higher education administrator. Throughout her career, she has almost always served as an active member or officer with civic, professional, and community organizations.

Currently, she serves as The Princess of Best Gurl inc, providing customized solutions for corporations, education, and non-profits that lead to improved performance. She is the author of Why Are They Following Me? A Guide to Effective Leadership and the upcoming book, Leader the Followers: An Unconventional Guide to Transformative Leadership.

joyce and her husband have lived in Fort Walton Beach, Florida since 1999, they have one son. She likes butterflies, the colors purple and yellow, Winnie the Pooh, The Wicked Witch, and large bodies of water.