The Rev. Dr. Joanna Adams is a retired pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA). She formerly served as pastor of Morningside and Trinity Presbyterian churches in Atlanta and Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago. After retiring she served as interim pastor of Atlanta’s First Presbyterian Church for a year. She is also one of the founders of Higher Ground, an interfaith group based in Atlanta. Ordained for more than thirty years, she is a graduate of Columbia Theological Seminary, Dr. Adams holds an honorary doctorate of divinity from Davidson College and was awarded an Alumni Association Medal of Honor from Emory University. In 2007, she was named Georgia Woman of the Year and was featured in Atlanta Magazine as one of the forty-five most loved Atlantans. She is known for building bridges both in the community and the church. Over the years, she has been especially involved in initiatives to combat homelessness and to build interfaith relations.