Program Presenter - Joanne Wszolek

Joanne Wszolek has been in law enforcement and security for over 17 years, 12 of them as a police officer. She worked her way up from the beat cop working the streets of North Philadelphia, to a plain clothes unit, then 7 years in the Detective Unit and finally ending her career as Special Services Manager for Temple University’s Police Department.   As Special Services Manager, Joanne was responsible for developing, coordinating and facilitating all crime prevention programs, such as theft reduction strategies, alcohol 101, sexual assault awareness, self defense, street smarts, home security, and vehicle safety  for the University’s students, staff, employees, and community organizations.   She also coordinated and facilitated 4 credited self defense courses for women through the department of Kinesiology. Joanne is certified as a crime prevention practitioner and instructor since 1992 from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and is also a certified self defense instructor since 1994.  She has taught approximately 1,000 women and girls assertiveness skills and basic physical defense and currently is the Pennsylvania State Director for Rape Aggression Defense Systems (RAD self defense for women).  Learning self defense from Joanne is both a physical and mental experience.

As Special Services Manager Joanne was also responsible for providing special services to anyone who has been a victim or witness of a crime. Joanne would assist in the navigation of the judicial systems in Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, and Delaware County. She specialized in sensitive crimes such as sexual assault and domestic violence.  Joanne is certified as a domestic violence counselor from the Pennsylvania Coalition against Rape.

Currently Joanne works at Hahnemann University Hospital located in Philadelphia managing the security department.  She continues her pursuit of empowering women and reducing crime through educational programs.

Joanne has a dynamic and motivational presentation style that engages and stimulates her audiences.  She helps young women build confidence as well as self defense skills. Her assortment of first-person stories and first-hand knowledge about the dangerous situations that women have encountered, combine to make the SASSY (Strong, Assertive, Safe, Secure, Young) Women Program extremely rewarding for all who experience it.

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