Joan Carpenter is an Associate Professor in Organizational Systems and Adult Health at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. She also serves as a Health Scientist at the US Department of Veterans Affairs and practices as a nurse practitioner with Coastal Hospice and Palliative Care. With over two decades of experience, Dr. Carpenter is a nationally recognized expert in geriatric palliative care, particularly in post-acute and long-term care settings. Her research focuses on implementing and evaluating non-pharmacologic palliative care interventions to improve quality of life, reduce symptom burden, and enhance decision-making for individuals with serious illness and their care partners. She has led and contributed to numerous federally funded projects, including initiatives to improve access to dementia palliative care in nursing homes and to elicit and respect care preferences for seriously ill veterans. Her work has significantly advanced the integration of evidence-based palliative care practices in nursing home settings, influencing both clinical care and policy. Dr. Carpenter earned her BSN from Pennsylvania State University, her MSN from the Medical College of Georgia, and her PhD in Nursing Science from the University of Utah, where she also completed a graduate certificate in nursing education.