It isn’t even April yet, but it’s already shaping up to be a significant year for Cup of Jo. This month, we celebrated Jannelle’s return from parental leave (and the WILD birth of her third child!). Our amazing long-time contributor, Kelsey Miller, has joined us as a senior editor. We also bid a bittersweet goodbye to Maureen after seven incredible years, and our friend, Alison Piepmeyer, is joining as the new partnerships director! With a new team full of familiar faces, we’d love to step out from behind the scenes to introduce ourselves…
Joanna Goddard
Founder & Editor
As a former magazine writer, I began Cup of Jo in 2007 as a weekend project but later turned it into a major daily website, featuring a range of writers and photographers. In 2023, I also started Big Salad, our weekly newsletter about style, design, and relationships, which became the top fashion/beauty publication on Substack. I live in Brooklyn with my two chatty boys.
Go-to breakfast drink: Homemade cinnamon tea; or a walk with my neighborhood dad friend for coffee.
Childhood nickname: My dad still calls me Fofans, based on that “banana fana fo-fana” song. My siblings and cousins call me Jo. Now whenever someone else calls me “Jo,” I instantly feel connected to them.
Favorite after-work activity: Spending time with my two hilarious boys. The preteen/teen years have been my favorite thus far. They can be moody, sure, but they also make me laugh, watch Derry Girls, share insightful thoughts about life, and still want bedtime chats and cuddles.
Celebrity crush: Andy Samberg in Palm Springs. I’d love being stuck in a time loop.
Book that changed my life: When I read The Catcher in the Rye in high school, I viewed Holden Caufield as a sexy bad boy. He grew up in Manhattan! He smoked! But rereading it as a forty-something mom, my heart ached for the lost, lonely 16-year-old. I realized how much our perspectives can shift, depending on our own experiences and stages in life. 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 debut novel, Old Money, was released in 2025. Among other topics, she frequently writes about the impact of diet culture and the progression of the body positive movement. She loves Polish cinema, quirky history, and a long swim. She resides in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter.
Go-to weekday breakfast: On a good day, jammy eggs and buttered sourdough toast. On a regular day, my daughter Margot’s leftovers.
Childhood nickname: Wunkin. My dad invented it when I was born — it’s a blend of “wunderkind” and “pumpkin” (I had jaundice!).
Favorite after-work activity: Weekly, a few school-mom friends and I take our kids to Shake Shack for dinner. It’s a mid-week break; everyone gets social time, and no one has to cook 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 before winter break, and we laughed until we cried. We were stunned by how hilarious it was — it felt impossible. It was one of the moments that showed me the powerful impact of good writing.
Alison Piepmeyer
Partnerships Director
Alison has dedicated 20 years to marketing, collaborating with brands and influencers, and operating her own social media agency. She and her family moved from the West Coast to New York in 2021. She loves a great audiobook and is always ready to host a bagel brunch. She resides with her husband Zach, son Linus, and daughter Georgie. (Also, don’t forget her week of outfits and house tour?)
Go-to weekday breakfast: I enjoy a bowl of Trader Joe’s goat yogurt, with muesli, chia seeds, and a handful of berries.
Childhood nickname: Ali
Favorite after-work activity: Watching trashy reality television (like The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives!).
Celebrity crush: Michael B. Jordan. When he won his Oscar, I turned to my husband and declared, ‘WOW, that man is attractive.’
Book that changed my life: I’m not typically into self-help, but Mindset truly resonated with me. It altered my approach to failure, criticism, and growth — and in all honesty, it’s improved my parenting more than any 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 crossing over to “the other side” to write novels. She’s co-authored 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 authors the newsletter, Book Forward. Christine is based in Harlem, New York.
Go-to weekday breakfast: I don’t have breakfast! It’s not deliberate; I just don’t feel hungry until noon.
Childhood nickname: My family calls me Christie.
Favorite after-work activity: Watching all the TV. And I do mean all of it.
Celebrity crush: Woman: Tracee Ellis Ross. Man: Rege-Jean Page — he won me over in Bridgerton.
Book that changed my life: My first novel, We Are Not Like Them. It altered the trajectory of my career and transformed my entire life.
Jannelle Sanchez
Senior Editor
Jannelle has always cherished talking to people and listening to their stories. After receiving a journalism degree, she wrote on the marketing teams of several tech companies before joining Cup of Jo in 2021. Jannelle resides in the Bay Area with her husband and three children.
Go-to weekday breakfast: Coffee (with a touch of half-and-half and a teaspoon of sugar!), and toast with butter and strawberry jam.
Childhood nickname: Growing up, my entire extended family called me Jannelley (Janelle-eee) — and still do. 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 few weeks back, my five-year-old daughter Ella and I planted some Cup of Sun seeds, and we now enjoy watering the garden and watching new sprouts emerge 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 youngster, and I return to it every few years. It’s taught me much about girlhood, family, friendships, and love.
Kaitlyn Teer
Senior Newsletter Editor
Kaitlyn is the senior editor for Big Salad, where she conducts interviews with 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 is set to debut 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 thicker the better.
Childhood nickname: While I go by Kaitlyn professionally, nearly everyone who interacts with me outside of work calls me Kaity. Having said that, the Cup of Jo team typically refers to me by my initials, KT, which sounds just like ‘Kaity.’ So, wherever I go, there I am!
Favorite after-work activity: I often joke that I’ll ace retirement since my favorite activities involve either outdoor adventures like birding and mountain biking or relaxing solo hobbies, like knitting and cultivating my vegetable garden.
Celebrity crush: Cillian Murphy, especially when he’s doing press tours. An interviewer once asked for his thoughts on 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 beautifully showcases how an ordinary place, like a neighborhood creek, can come alive with curiosity and attention. Each time I revisit it, I notice something different.
That’s our team! We’re all thrilled to be here with you. xoxo
P.S. 10 career lessons I’ve learned, and the best career advice I ever received.
