Joanne has lived and worked in the North East for most of her life. Joanne brings over 35 years experience in senior HR and organisational development roles, gained mainly within the higher education sector. Most recently, she was Director of HR and Organisational Development at Durham University, where she led strategic people, culture and organisational change initiatives across a large and complex institution.
Since retiring from executive roles in 2025, Joanne has developed a non-executive portfolio focused on governance, people and organisational culture. She currently serves as Chair of the People and Governance Committee at Livin Housing Association and is an Independent Governor at Derwentside College.
Joanne holds an MA in Strategic Human Resource Management and is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (FCIPD).
As a non‑executive director, Joanne is committed to constructive challenge, strong governance and helping organisations build sustainable, values‑led cultures that support both staff experience and organisational performance.
