Joseph Bathanti (born July 20, 1953, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American poet, novelist and professor.
[5] After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh, Bathanti traveled to North Carolina in 1976 as part of the Volunteers In Service To America (VISTA) program focusing on prison outreach.
[5] His book They Changed the State: The Legacy of North Carolina’s Visiting Artists, 1971–95 chronicled the history of the program.
The position requires the laureate to participate in various literary activities across the state, working with "schools, community groups, and the press.
In 2014, Bathanti was named the first scholar-in-residence for the Heinz History Center's Italian American Program in Pittsburgh.