Bio

Joan Bradley Wages’ passion and determination to make the National Women’s History Museum a reality is a personal campaign that has consumed her life for the last 15 years. She began as one of the founding board members that ultimately led her into serving as the champion for the museum – Joan’s background was in public relations, serving as president of a government affairs consulting firm and as a registered lobbyist. Throughout her career, she focused on women’s issues on Capitol Hill which culminated when she served as a founding board member of the National Women’s History Museum working to raise money and pass legislation to move the Suffrage Statue depicting founders of the U.S. suffrage movement from the Capitol Crypt upstairs into the Rotunda where it now stands. The moving of the statue was to be a short term project and Joan, like others, scoffed at the suggestion that the next project was to build a National Women’s History Museum on the Mall.

Today—15 years later—she is more committed, energized and determined than ever to ensure women take their rightful place on the National Mall. It is because of her determination, along with her intelligence and warm personality, that she has been able to draw in a multitude of high powered women to join her in this cause. Joan has appeared on National Public Radio, PBS, Radio One and C-SPAN to name a few.