Familiar Face – Joanne Neville

If there's a Niwot event happening Joanne Neville is likely in attendance, especially if music is involved. Dressed in beautiful long skirts, with her long flowing hair, and a warm smile, Neville's love for shared joyful times shines through as naturally as sunshine. The Courier wanted to hear about this Niwotian's life – past, present, and future.

Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC) - Where are you from and what brought you to the area?

Joanne Neville (JN) - I grew up on the East Coast, mostly in New York and New Jersey. I originally moved to Boulder for the summer of 1984 to live with my then partner, from California. He had a climbing accident a few weeks after I came out and was in a coma for many months.

The network of amazing women who helped support me getting through that time in my life was unlike anything I had ever experienced. I knew this was where I would make my home. I alternately lived in San Diego, Boulder, and New Jersey for several years until I finished my undergrad degree. The day after graduation, I left for Colorado and have been here ever since.

LHVC - Where did you study and what jobs did you have along the way?

JN - After high school, I went to community college in New Jersey studying art, anthropology, solar energy, and a whole plethora of things while enjoying the beach and my friends until I started at the School of Visual Arts in NYC where I received my Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design in1988.

I sort of graduated with obsolete skills because, while I was going to art school, Apple computers came into being and I was not too keen on being on the computer to do art and in denial about just how quickly Macs would take over the industry. I am and always have been a very tactile person, so it wasn't a great fit for me to go back to school.

I had a lot of odd jobs for a while. I worked in a bead shop in Boulder, as a nanny, I was a stay at home mom for several years taking care of my son Jaron, I worked at a print shop after my first marriage ended, and in a gallery on Pearl Street Mall for a while.

Then I decided to go to acupuncture school at Southwest Acupuncture College in 1999. Talk about a whole new world...I never looked back. I had found my path.

LHVC - Tell me about your present job situation.

JN - I have a part-time acupuncture practice in Longmont at the Circle of Health where I moved in June of this year. I've been the Clinic Director at Southwest Acupuncture College for 13 years. I teach classes and supervise clinics there too. I started as a teaching assistant after graduating because I missed being in the thick of the rich learning environment I'd just left. Through that experience I realized that I have a passion for teaching this medicine and I feel so blessed to have been a small part of so many of my students' transformations into amazing practitioners of Chinese medicine.

In addition, during the pandemic I really did a deep dive into the therapeutic uses of dōTERRA oils and after being able to get completely off my asthma medicines, I became a wellness advocate and am continuing to learn how to add them into my acupuncture treatments through self-study and continuing education.

LHVC - Tell us about your family and the significant people in your life.

JN - I've lived here in Niwot since 1995, and my husband Joe Pacheco joined me here after we married nearly 11 years ago. I raised my son Jaron here since he was three years old. He's married to his lovely wife Katie and they have a gorgeous son, Kelvin (3), and is the light of my life. They are currently living in Illinois, too far away.

My nephew James and his wife Danielle moved here when they were expecting their first child, and they now have David (4) who's named after my brother who has passed away, and Logan who came to us this year - a pandemic blessing. Joe's sons, Isaac and Joe, live near Denver, and we get to spend many weekends with our grandson Kayden (10), Isaac's son. Our favorite thing to do when he comes is to go to Niwot's new kid's bookstore, The Wandering Jellyfish.

LHVC - What parts of your life are the most rewarding?

JN - I love my work. I am here to serve. I love helping people feel better and encouraging them to be on a healthier path. I adore teaching and staying connected to my former students, now colleagues, and seeing all the good they are doing in the world.

LHVC - What triumphs have made you who you are?

JN - I've experienced a lot of ups and downs in life and many losses of friends and close family, but I think my greatest triumph now is being able to always see the silver lining in any situation. I don't dwell in regrets. I may take some time to find the good stuff, but for me, it's always there. I look forward to the excitement of new challenges and know that the only constant is change.

LHVC - What are your pastimes and how do you prioritize them?

JN - Meditation and breath-work twice a day is one of my strongest priorities. This is what keeps me balanced even through the hard stuff. Reading - every night. I can't go to sleep without spending time in another world with one of my books. Essential oils have become such a love for me in the last year and a half. I also love to walk - in nature, around town, anywhere. Dancing! I feel so blessed to live in a place that offers so much live music. In the cooler months I crochet and create origami things to give to friends, students and workmates.

LHVC - What are the ways in which you connect with the community?

JN - I'm where the music is in the community. It nourishes my soul to listen to music and see joy on people's faces when they dance. I do a lot of volunteering with acupuncture. I'm a part of the Colorado Acupuncture Medical Reserve Corps. We help in disaster situations by offering acupuncture to victims and emergency workers, which really helps them focus and feel calmer.

LHVC - Are there any plans you're looking forward to?

JN - I'm looking forward to seeing the grandchildren learn and grow. I'll continue to learn as much as I can from life to better serve those who need me. I'm in a big transition period right now and will take some time to continue to clear out what's not working for me and decide what I want to bring in for the next part of my life. I would love to, in the next 10 years, work less and travel more.