Joanne has extensive experience of leadership roles within the charity sector, passionate about the wellbeing of children and young people, advocating for equitable opportunities for those who are from less privileged backgrounds or experiencing disadvantage.

Joanne’s current role is as Chief Executive for Nottingham based charity Base 51, leading a team of mental health and youth work practitioners, she recently launched a Training Academy for the charity, which provides accredited training for professionals in the fields of Counselling, and Youth Work. Prior to this position was Deputy to the previous CEO; this follows numerous roles in financial and fundraising within the charity sector.

She represents the Voluntary Sector at a senior Management level on the City Councils BMG (Safeguarding) and chairs the Designated Safeguarding Leads Network for the Voluntary Sector in Nottingham City. She is also a member of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Executive for Notts.

Joanne’s early years were spent in South Nottinghamshire before her family relocated to Derbyshire in her mid-teens; initially training as a Sports and Development Coach, she worked for Rank Education where she supported children from inner Cities across the UK with personal development programmes. Following some time out to raise her own children Joanne then gained a BA in Management and Enterprise, which she studied with Leeds Metropolitan University. She is a ‘Clore Social Leadership’ fellow, having completed the Clore Youth Leaders programme in 2018.