JD Hanley

Teacher, author, and screenwriter, JD Hanley was born and raised in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. She pursued her Bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in Africa American Theater at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky. During her time there she had the opportunity to serve as opinion editor for the independent school newspaper, The Louisville Cardinal. That opportunity led to interning and working as a music and theater reviewer for the Louisville Eccentric Observer, the city’s alternative weekly newspaper. She also represented the University as a member of the National Association for Black Journalists at the UNITY conference held in Washington DC. Following graduation, she had the privilege to intern with best-selling author, Tajuana TJ Butler, and learn the inner workings of the publishing industry. Very active in the regional arts scene as a poet, stand up comic and event host, JD was invited to serve on the board of the Arts Council of Louisville and the national nonprofit, Jane’s Stories Press Foundation in executive and at-large positions. With the support of friends and both organizations, JD Hanley self-published her first novel, Test of a Man in 2010. After a brief stint in Corporate America, she found her way back to teaching as a high school English and History and pushed herself to finish Coach John’s Screenwriting Academy. She is currently an executive producer for the indie film, Her Dangerous Secret, for which she penned the script and is developing feature films and television series with WinMedia Solution, a production company in Los Angeles, California. She is now a screenwriting instructor with Coach John’s Screenwriting Academy and also serving as head writing for independent series, The Book Club. JD is currently based in Stone Mountain, Georgia.