“I used to say that Dr. JoAnne was, hands down, the finest government writer that I have come across in an entire Army career. But now I believe that using the adjective “government” is unnecessarily constraining. She has to be among the best writers, in and out of government. Not sure exactly how she works her magic with words – but she takes dry, straightforward, dare I say stuffy technical subjects or technical achievements and makes them highly interesting, entertaining, informative, and thought-provoking!”
Testimonials
“During my time as editor-in-chief of IHS Fairplay and direct editor of IHS Dredging and Port Construction magazine, I was always looking for talented, knowledgeable correspondents. JoAnne Castagna fitted the bill in every way – meticulous research and interviews with the right people resulting in well-written, authoritative articles.”
“A key resource for internal and external relations and a collaborator; JoAnne’s capacity to get inside the story of a person or an event and render the most technical information accessible to both management and staff that need it is remarkable and her ability to market to publications is priceless.”
“For several years, JoAnne Castagna has contributed articles to two publications I edit, Erosion Control and Stormwater. Her articles have covered diverse topics, ranging from water-quality best management practices to recovery from natural disasters like Hurricane Sandy to long-term planning for environmental issues. Dr. Castagna has a rare ability to cover these topics in a way that makes them not only valuable to the many engineers who read our publications, but also accessible to readers without an engineering background. This requires a thorough understanding of her audience as well as of the technical aspects of the projects she covers. I look forward to publishing more of her work on these important subjects.”
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with JoAnne for seven years as she has provided my magazine with timely, interesting, well-researched, and above all well-written articles. She takes the initiative in submitting appropriate articles, and she accepts article requests as well as tailors her writing to the needs of my magazine. She communicates quickly and clearly with me, and her work—from initial research to proofing the final PDF—is knowledgeable and thorough. I enjoy working, with her, too!”
“Your articles are a little fresh air in among all the clanging equipment and fusty doctrine of other articles. Your article submissions also don’t need the hammer-and-tongs work that many others require.”
“I have to tell you I always read all of your work in the Engineer and U.S. Army magazines I receive. If no one has told you yet, you are a real treasure.”
“JoAnne Castagna has been submitting articles to International Dredging Review (IDR) for many years. As owner and editor of the magazine for 28 years, my standards for writing and reporting were high. I was always selective in what I accepted for publication in IDR, and JoAnne’s submissions on behalf of the New York District Corps of Engineers were always top quality. I have never turned down even one of her submissions. I sold the magazine to The Waterways Journal in 2009, and remained as editor for a year after that and am still a writer for the magazine. The new editor has used a number of JoAnne’s articles since taking over.
“When I was editor, I never printed any article as submitted, but asked for quotations, verification of facts, and pictures other than those originally submitted. JoAnne was always ready with contact people, verification, extra facts and pictures as requested, with admirable respect for my deadlines. I consider her to be a top quality reporter and writer.”
Writer, International Dredging Review and The Waterways Journal
Publisher, owner, editor, International Dredging Review, 1981 – 2010
“JoAnne has been a reliable and valued contributor to Civil + Structural Engineer magazine and website for many years on behalf of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Her articles consistently display her understanding of our readers’ interests as well as the needs of the publication for high-quality photography and graphics.”
Bob Drake
Editor, Civil + Structural Engineer Magazine