Ever since he studied abroad in Rome during college, Joel dreamed of working in a creative field and having adventures around the world. His fantasy became real shortly after graduating from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism in 2003. He first worked for the environmental organization, Natural Resources Defense Council, and then took a job with the groundbreaking Air America Radio network, where he was a producer on a show hosted by Rachel Maddow and Chuck D. and worked alongside such talents as Mark Maron and Al Franken. 

In 2005, Joel got an incredible chance to live and work abroad when was hired as a reporter for the International Herald Tribune newspaper in Bangkok, and stayed for the next 12 years. During his time there, he also worked as the regional correspondent for The Hollywood Reporter, as a consultant for different human rights NGOs, and filed print and broadcast stories for CNN and other media outlets. In 2011, he began developing "Cirque du Cambodia," his first feature-length documentary film, which is about two young Cambodians who dreamed about being the first from their country to take the stage with the world-famous Cirque du Soleil. In 2020, he completed the film, which has won multiple awards, and it is still making the rounds and wowing audiences at different film festivals.

Joel finally moved back to the U.S. in 2017 after accepting a lecturing job at American University in Washington D.C. He is now working as the Director of Education (and a content producer) for the community TV channel, DCTV. You can learn more about Joel at joelgershon.com.