It’s not even April yet, but it’s already been a big year for Cup of Jo. This month, we welcomed Jannelle back from parental leave (and the WILD birth of her third baby!). And our wonderful long-time contributor, Kelsey Miller, has officially joined the team as a senior editor. We had a bittersweet farewell with Maureen after seven wonderful years with us, and our new partnerships director is none other than my friend, Alison Piepmeyer! Since we have a new team full of familiar faces, we’d love to come out from behind the scenes to introduce ourselves…
Joanna Goddard
Founder & Editor
A former magazine writer, I started Cup of Jo in 2007 as a weekend hobby but then developed it into a large-scale daily website, featuring a diverse array of writers and photographers. In 2023, I also launched Big Salad, our weekly newsletter about style, design, and relationships, which is the #1 fashion/beauty publication on Substack. I live in Brooklyn with my two chatty boys.
Go-to breakfast drink: Cinnamon tea made at home; or a walk with my neighborhood dad friend to get a coffee.
Childhood nickname: My dad still calls me Fofans, inspired by that “banana fana fo-fana” song. My siblings and cousins call me Jo. Now anytime someone else calls me “Jo,” I instantly feel close to them.
Favorite after-work activity: Hanging out with my two hilarious boys. The preteen/teen years have been my favorite so far. They can be moody, of course, but they also make me laugh and watch Derry Girls, share smart observations about life, and still want bedtime chats and cuddles.
Celebrity crush: Andy Samberg in Palm Springs. I’d gladly be stuck in a time loop.
Book that changed my life: When I read The Catcher in the Rye in high school, I saw Holden Caufield as a sexy bad boy. He grew up in Manhattan! He smoked! But when I reread it as a forty-something mom, my heart ached for the lost, lonely 16-year-old. I realized how much our perspectives can change, depending on our own lived experiences and life stages. I always try to keep that in mind.
Kelsey Miller
Senior Editor
Kelsey is a culture writer, and the author of three books, including her memoir, Big Girl, and the bestselling pop-culture history book, I’ll Be There For You. Her first novel, Old Money, was published in 2025. Among other things, she often writes about the impact of diet culture and the evolution of the body positive movement. She loves Polish cinema, weird history, and a long swim. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter.
Go-to weekday breakfast: On a good day, jammy eggs and buttered sourdough toast. On a typical day, my daughter Margot’s leftovers.
Childhood nickname: Wunkin. My dad made it up when I was born — it’s a combination of “wunderkind” and “pumpkin” (I had jaundice!).
Favorite after-work activity: Once a week, a couple school-mom friends and I take our kids to Shake Shack for dinner. It’s a mid-week breather; everyone gets some social time, and no one has to do dinner when we get home.
Celebrity crush: Bowen Yang. I KNOW.
Book that changed my life: Holidays on Ice, by David Sedaris. Specifically, the essay, Santaland Diaries. My high-school English teacher had us read it aloud in class the day before winter break, and we were all in tears with laughter. We were astonished by how funny it was — it seemed impossible. It was one of the moments that showed me how powerful good writing can be.
Alison Piepmeyer
Partnerships Director
Alison has spent 20 years in marketing, working with brands and influencers, and running her social media agency. She and her family relocated from the West Coast to New York in 2021. She loves a good audiobook and will always say yes to hosting a bagel brunch. She lives with her husband Zach, son Linus, and daughter Georgie. (Also, remember her week of outfits and house tour?)
Go-to weekday breakfast: I love a bowl of Trader Joe’s goat yogurt, with muesli, chia seeds, and a handful of berries.
Childhood nickname: Ali
Favorite after-work activity: Watch crappy reality shows (like The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives!).
Celebrity crush: Michael B. Jordan. When he won his Oscar, I turned to my husband and said, ‘WOW, that man is attractive.’
Book that changed my life: I’m not usually a self-help girlie, but Mindset really got me. It shifted how I think about failure, criticism, and growth — and honestly, it’s helped me parent better than any actual parenting book I’ve read.
Christine Pride
Race Matters Columnist
Christine is a writer, editor and french fry enthusiast. She worked in publishing for 20 years before leaping to “the other side” to write novels. She’s written two with Jo Piazza: We Are Not Like Them, and You Were Always Mine. Her solo debut, All The Men I’ve Loved Again, was published in 2025. She also writes the newsletter, Book Forward. Christine lives in Harlem, New York.
Go-to weekday breakfast: I don’t eat breakfast! It’s not intentional; I just never get hungry until noon.
Childhood nickname: My family calls me Christie.
Favorite after-work activity: Watch all the TV. And I mean all of it.
Celebrity crush: Girl: Tracee Ellis Ross. Guy: Rege-Jean Page — he had me at Bridgerton.
Book that changed my life: My own first novel, We Are Not Like Them. It changed the course of my career and my whole life.
Jannelle Sanchez
Senior Editor
Jannelle has always loved talking to people and hearing their stories. After graduating with a journalism degree, she wrote on the marketing teams of various tech companies, before joining Cup of Jo in 2021. Jannelle lives in the Bay Area with her husband and three children.
Go-to weekday breakfast: Coffee (with a splash of half-and-half and a teaspoon of sugar!), and toast with butter and strawberry jam.
Childhood nickname: Growing up, my whole extended family called me Jannelley (Janelle-eee) — and still do to this day. Sometimes when a stranger reads my name aloud, they’ll pronounce it “Jannelley,” and I instantly feel like a four-year-old.
Favorite after-work activity: A week ago, my five-year-old daughter Ella and I planted some Cup of Sun seeds, and now we love watering the garden and seeing new sprouts pop up each day.
Celebrity crush: Jess Mariano from Gilmore Girls. He knows how to yearn and writes notes in the margins!
Book that changed my life: Little Women. It was the first classic book I read as a kid, and I return to it every few years. It’s taught me so much about girlhood, family, friendships, and love.
Kaitlyn Teer
Senior Newsletter Editor
Kaitlyn is the senior editor for Big Salad, where she interviews writers like Barbara Kingsolver, Catherine Newman, and Roxane Gay. Her essay collection, Little Apocalypses: Essays on Motherhood, Climate Change, and Hope at the End of the World debuts next month. She lives in Washington State with her husband and two kids.
Go-to weekday breakfast: Peanut butter toast — ideally freshly ground peanut butter, the gloppier the better.
Childhood nickname: I go by Kaitlyn professionally but nearly everyone who knows me outside of work calls me Kaity. Having said that, the Cup of Jo team typically refers to me by my initials, KT, which sound just like ‘Kaity.’ So, wherever I go, there I am!
Favorite after-work activity: I joke that I’m going to crush it in retirement because my favorite things to do are either outdoorsy adventures like birding and mountain biking, or chill solo hobbies, like knitting and working on my vegetable garden.
Celebrity crush: Cillian Murphy, specifically when he’s doing press junkets. An interviewer once asked for his thoughts about the disappointed Cillian Murphy meme, and he said he didn’t know what a meme was.
Book that changed my life: Annie Dillard’s A Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. It’s a stunning example of how an ordinary place, like a neighborhood creek, comes alive when you approach it with curiosity and attention. Whenever I pick it up, I notice something different.
That’s our team! We’re all thrilled to be here with you. xoxo
P.S. 10 lessons I’ve learned in my career, and the best career advice I ever got.
