Janis is an accomplished abstract artist with more than 20 years' experience. She first studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago before earning a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley with a minor in fine art. She also holds a Ph.D. from Missouri School of Journalism with a minor in visual studies. She is lead author of the book Visual Communication Insights and Strategies (Wiley, 2020) and since 2005 has taught visual communication courses at the university level, including during two Fulbright appointments in Europe.