Joanne has been a compassionate and enthusiastic educator for 38 years. She has been an advocate for “student voice” for the past 25 years: coordinating and organizing student summits, and leadership and peer assistance camps. Student engagement and empowerment through “student voice” initiatives have been at the centre of her recent work, especially since retiring from her full time position with the Ottawa Catholic School Board in 2013, as the Coordinator of Student Success for Intermediate and Secondary Schools.
She has been Ottawa Coordinator for the Keep the Promise National and Ottawa Student Summits related to ending child poverty. She was the Program Manager for Global Solutions with The Learning Partnership and initiated this program with local school boards and coordinated the Global Solutions Student Summit in Ottawa. Joanne has also been a Navigation Learning Partner, assisting our most vulnerable students with exploring college and university programs. In addition, she also worked with elementary students as a Special Education Assistive Technology Coach. She continues to work in Guidance as a counsellor in schools where extra assistance is needed.
Joanne was a finalist in the Women of Distinction Awards in Ottawa in the area of Education and was a recipient of the Director of Commendation Award in the Ottawa Catholic School Board. Joanne received the Pathways Star recognition from the Ottawa Catholic School Board for her contributions establishing specialized pathways, transition programs and providing student voice opportunities.
She has been volunteering with Children First Canada for the past three years, coordinating retired educators to assist participants – both children and adults – at their Ottawa events.
Joanne has two energetic and adventurous adult sons who live in Toronto. She lives in Ottawa with her supportive partner Michael. She is also a competitive dragon boat paddler (whose club qualified for the 2020 world championships). When not on the water, she is on the courts playing pickleball or tennis.