Summary
Amber Joiner taught her first course at the University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno in 2000 and has enjoyed teaching in various institutions and disciplines since. Her experiences working in elected office, bureaucracies and nonprofits inform the real-world examples and mentorship she provides to students. Dr. Joiner represented Reno’s Assembly District 24 in the ÁùºÏ±¦µä State Legislature for two terms, from 2014 to 2018. During her time in the State Assembly, she served as Vice Chair of the Committee on Health & Human Services and the Committee on Education.
She previously served as Deputy Director of ÁùºÏ±¦µä’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) where she supervised essential programs such as the Governor’s Office for Consumer Health Assistance, the Office of Suicide Prevention, the Grants Management Unit, the Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities and the Office of Health Information Technology. She also managed numerous state budgets and federal grants, helped implement the Affordable Care Act and Health Insurance Exchange and worked on legislation relating to Welfare, Medicaid, Child & Family Services, Public & Behavioral Health and Aging & Disability Services.
Prior to joining DHHS, Dr. Joiner was the Director of Government Relations for the ÁùºÏ±¦µä State Medical Association. She was also a Senior Research Analyst and Committee Policy Analyst at the Legislative Counsel Bureau. In these positions, she specialized in policy relating to health and human services, public health, natural resources, local government and education.
Dr. Joiner has been active in community organizations such as the ÁùºÏ±¦µä Public Health Association, the Washoe County School District’s Safe & Healthy Schools Commission, and the Girl Scouts of the Sierra ÁùºÏ±¦µä Board. She also provides public affairs consulting services for agencies and nonprofits on policy issues relating to public health, human services and education.
Education
- Ph.D., Political Science (Public Policy & Public Administration), University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno, 2018
- M.A., Political Communication, University of Maryland, College Park, 2003
- B.A., Political Science & Speech Communication, Minor in Spanish, University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno, 2000