About Joanna
Science, Wellness, Movement—and a Lot of Music
Joanna Gustafson is a nationally recognized wellness educator, program developer, and active aging advocate with more than 30 years of experience helping individuals and communities live healthier, happier, and more connected lives.
Throughout her career, Joanna has dedicated herself to creating innovative wellness experiences that make healthy living accessible, engaging, and enjoyable for people of all ages. Her work has focused on the powerful connection between movement, cognitive wellness, social engagement, and overall quality of life.
As the creator of the SMARTWalk Method™ and founder of SMARTWalk Clubs, Joanna pioneered a unique approach to wellness that combines physical activity, brain fitness, social interaction, and lifelong learning. Her programs have empowered countless individuals and communities to embrace healthier lifestyles while building meaningful connections and lasting friendships.
Recognizing that true wellbeing extends far beyond exercise alone, Joanna founded ActiveLiving 360 to create a comprehensive wellness ecosystem built upon three essential pillars: Movement • Wellness • Connection. Through innovative programs, educational experiences, and technology platforms, ActiveLiving 360 is transforming the way individuals, organizations, and communities approach healthy living and active aging.
Joanna's vision is simple yet profound: to create a world where every person has access to the tools, support, and community they need to thrive physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially throughout every stage of life.
Today, through ActiveLiving 360 and its family of programs — including SMARTWalk Clubs, Tropicize, Sharper Method, and the ActiveLiving Central platform — Joanna continues to inspire healthier, happier, and more connected communities across the country.
Credentials
Joanna Gustafson, M.S., M.Ed., NBC-HWC, CPT, CBHP
Brain Health and Lifestyle Medicine Specialist
Founder, ActiveLiving 360
- Brain Health and Lifestyle Medicine Specialist
- National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach
- Certified Personal Trainer
- Certified Brain Health Professional
- Educator
- Professional Musician
Philosophy
Practical first. Enjoyable always.
Brain health isn't about one activity, one supplement or one memory trick. Our brains are influenced by how we move, learn, sleep, socialize, manage stress, engage our senses and interact with the world around us.
Joanna's programs bring those elements together through learning, movement, music, memory exercises, social interaction and fun—so people can actually use them.
Personal story
Why Brain Health Became Personal
Joanna helped care for both of her parents through dementia and Alzheimer's disease. That experience gave her an up-close view of how much everyday life—movement, music, familiar routines, conversation, laughter—still matters.
It also showed her how much brain-health information sits out of reach: buried in research, wrapped in clinical language, or so general that nobody knows what to do on a Tuesday afternoon.
So she made that her work. Today Joanna translates brain-health and wellness ideas into practical steps people can take right now to support activity, memory, relationships, independence and quality of life—hopefully with a good song playing.
The information and programs offered here are educational and wellness-based. They are not medical advice and are not intended to diagnose, prevent, treat or cure Alzheimer's disease, dementia or any other medical condition. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding individual medical concerns.
Let's Talk About Your Community
Whether you're planning a wellness calendar, a speaking event or an ongoing brain-health program, Joanna would love to hear what you're building.