Joan Lau, ENG’92, WG’08, is an alumni leader with a lifetime of experience breaking down barriers.
Shaping the Future
Newly minted Trustee Joan Lau is an inspired Penn advocate
Published: March 21, 2023
In 2022, she was named to the University’s Board of Trustees, and she is the first member of the Board who openly identifies as LGBTQ+. “Joan is something special,” says Elise Betz, Executive Director of Penn Alumni. “She’s done just about everything as an alumni leader. She wasn’t on an intentional path to become a Trustee, but she’s done the work.”
Lau grew up with Chinese parents who immigrated from Taiwan and Hong Kong, and she lived on both coasts as a child. She came to Penn as an undergraduate in the School of Engineering & Applied Science, where she hit the books in the small but tight-knit bioengineering program. “There were only 27 of us and I had a lot of fun,” says Lau. “Beth Winkelstein [Penn’s Interim Provost] was one of my classmates. It was a great time to grow up. I fell in love with Philly.”
In her fourth year, Lau came out. “As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, the campus wasn’t always welcoming,” she says. “Coming out was the most formative thing that happened during that time.”
After graduation, Lau took some time away from Penn. “I was living in Indiana while getting a PhD and feeling very isolated,” says Lau. “I reconnected with Penn through the Alumni Interview Program. That experience was a bit of a lifeline. Then I got involved with PennGALA—our LGBTQ+ alumni association.” By that time, Penn’s LGBT Center was housed in Houston Hall. “Some of my longest-lasting friendships are with people I met through PennGALA and the LGBT Center.”
In 2022, Lau was awarded the Alumni Award of Merit for her service to Penn.
By 2006, Lau had a PhD in neuroscience and a sterling resume in science and drug development. But she wasn’t satisfied. “I also wanted a business education,” says Lau. She enrolled in Wharton’s MBA program, taking classes every other weekend while working full-time. “It was a rewarding but intense experience. I still lean on my Wharton classmates. We really care about each other.”
Once Lau became involved in the Penn alumni community, there was no turning back. In addition to serving as a Trustee, she is also a member of the School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) Board of Advisors. “Joan is a dynamic and visionary leader,” says SP2 Dean Sara S. Bachman. “She’s intentional, insightful and she brings people together. I appreciate the many ways she advocates for SP2 and lives out the School’s commitment to social innovation, impact, and justice.”
Lau is also a member of the Penn Alumni Board, the Trustees’ Council of Penn Women, and the Vagelos Program in Life Sciences & Management Advisory Board. Previously, she was Chair of Penn GALA, and served on the Penn Engineering Alumni Society and Wharton Executive MBA Class Gift Committee.
After going on her own journey of alumni leadership at Penn, Lau wanted to make sure that volunteer leaders more closely reflected the rich diversity of the University community. In 2021, she co-founded Penn Leadership Q (PLQ), an official Penn Alumni initiative designed to provide new opportunities for Penn’s LGBTQ+ alumni to increase their involvement. Together with Ann Reese, CW’74, a University Trustee and Penn Alumni President, and Elise Betz, they created a path for the next generation of Penn’s LGBTQ+ alumni leadership.
The 2023 Penn Alumni Volunteer Leadership Retreat (Lau pictured front row, right).
Professionally, Lau is the co-founder and CEO of Spirovant Sciences, a gene therapy company that is developing cures for cystic fibrosis and other respiratory diseases. Her office is adjacent to Penn’s campus—close enough to enjoy a stroll down Locust Walk to clear her head—or take care of official University business. “There’s just that much more joy in being close to campus,” she says.
Lau’s time at Penn and her experiences beyond Philadelphia have informed her vision for a more equal, open-minded world. She is an associate course director and adjunct professor at Wharton, and a mentor for SP2’s Social Justice Scholars program. Informally, Lau also provides guidance to other Penn students. She is a role model and mentor to many recent graduates, especially those who identify as LGBTQ+ or people of color. “It’s hard to find your path,” says Lau. “I enjoy talking to students, letting them know it’s okay to still be figuring it out, and offering recommendations.”
The good news for the Penn alumni community is that Lau is not even close to finished with her service to the Red and Blue. “Joan’s experiences have lit a fire within her,” says Betz. “She’s committed to making Penn a more welcoming place. She’s already made such positive changes. Joan’s showing us that there’s a great home at Penn for all alumni to find their passion.”
