Jo-Ann Armao is an editorial writer for The Post, specializing in education and local affairs in the District of Columbia. Armao came to The Post in 1984. Before that, she worked at the Charlotte Observer. She became interested in journalism while a student at the University of Buffalo, where, along with The Post’s Tom Toles, she worked on the student newspaper. Her professional career began as a reporter in 1973 at the Buffalo Courier-Express where she worked until it folded in 1982. She started at The Post as an assignment editor and over the years worked her way around the Beltway, reporting in Montgomery County, serving as Virginia editor and city editor before becoming assistant managing editor for metro news in 1996. After leading the local staff for nine years, she was awarded a John S. Knight Fellowship. She joined the editorial board in 2006.