Joan moved to Bedford in 1979 after renovating a property she and her husband purchased in 1978. Since the property had a magnificent 10 stall stable, built in 1926, and one of the Bedford Riding Lanes trails along one side of it, her husband suggested she buy a horse and start riding again. As a child she rode near her home in Bronxville at the age of four, but never owned a horse. Immediately Joan purchased her first horse and joined the BRLA that has 200 miles of trails throughout Bedford to bordering towns. Soon she was riding 4-6 hours daily in all directions and asked to become a board member of the BRLA. She was asked to become Trail Chairman, since she rode every trail on their map, and could report fallen trees that blocked trails. When membership started to decline, Joan was asked to head the Membership Committee. Within a year she increased the membership successfully. Joan is still an active member of the board and seen at all the sponsored events.

Once settled in her new home, the broker who sold Joan her house suggested she becomes a real estate sales agent., Since she knew most of the houses from the rear on horseback, it was a welcomed idea. Being a people person, she decided to split her time between horses and real estate. After selling many homes that year, she decided to get her brokers license in the fall of 1980 . Within a few years she also acquired a Connecticut brokers license and is a licensed broker in New York and Connecticut to date. Joan has seen major changes in many of the homes in the Bedford area. She remembers Bedford as it was 28 years ago, as a sleepy little town that she could ride her horse into for a drink of water at the local gas station. Today Bedford became a well known town and home to many movie stars and wall street figures. She enjoys many of her clients that have become personal friends.