Joy began her career in Washington, D.C. on Capitol Hill and then rose through the ranks at FleishmanHillard, implementing government and public relations programs in the U.S. and Europe on behalf of nonprofit, corporate, and government clients. She honed her expertise in nonprofit communications at the Case Foundation and her own consultancy while teaching graduate students at Georgetown University. The Wake Forest University alum is an active member of her church, recently leading its stewardship campaign.