Joanne has been a member of Girl Guides for 57 years and holds the Queen’s Guide, Emu, Red Kangaroo and Asian Pacific Leadership Awards. During her time in Girl Guides she has fulfilled the roles of Leader, District Manager, Deputy State Commissioner, Honorary Legal Advisor, served on the Board of Girl Guides NSW (and later NSW & ACT and then NSW ACT NT) and Girl Guides Australia as well as serving on a number of board sub committees at both state and national level.

With formal qualifications in science, education & law, as well as being a Graduate of the AICD Company Directors course, Joanne has had wide engagement across the community including 30 years’ experience in the regulation of health practitioners.

Currently she is a member of the following: Nursing and Midwifery Council of NSW (Legal Member), Royal Academy of Dance London – Development and Fundraising Committee (Member), the Advisory Committee on Medicines of the TGA, the Nursing and Midwifery Strategic Reference Group of the Australian Government Department of Health and the Radiation Advisory Council of NSW.

She is also Chair of the Mining and Petroleum Competency Board of NSW and the President of the State Council of St Johns Ambulance NSW

In the Australia Day Honours list in 2023, Joanne was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to youth, to community health, and to the law.