Joanne is a registered member of the Squamish Nation in West Vancouver and resides on the Capilano Reserve with her beautiful daughter Cascade who is 22 years old and who is attending UBC.  

Some highlights of Joanne’s career are being appointed as Justice of the Peace for the Province of Ontario as one of the youngest First Nations appointed combined with being the Marriage commissioner appointed at age of 22, receiving the Vancouver award titled “Women of Distinction, in Education, Training and Development” by YWCA 2008 and a nominee for 2025 Reconciliation Award, carrying the 2010 Olympic Torch and being in Education for over 35 years. She believed in education as a steppingstone, around 10 years old she operated her own Red School House on reserve. Her dad encouraged her to be a teacher and run her own homework club for her relations. Joanne was the only one to graduate from grade 12 in her community at the time, and then to go to post-secondary at 17 years old and leave her community of 50 people She graduated from Simon Fraser University with her Executive MBA, Master’s in Business & Leadership in 2018. 

Prior to going back to school Joanne was volunteering 30 hours per month as a personal coach/Facilitator for Choices International. She is a strong believer in giving back and assisting people in finding their purpose in life. “My purpose in life is that l am a passionate woman who opens doors by encouraging others to follow their dreams”.  Joanne volunteered by taking in two teenage girls from Northern Youth Abroad program (NWT) and have them live with her family during the summer to gain new experiences.   

Joanne is very excited in this new journey, working for ICBC since 2023 as the Associate Director of Indigenous Relations a newly founded department.  Leading the work of Reconciliation by supporting positive changes through Road Safety, Driver’s License, Careers, Building Relationships and breaking down barriers that affect Indigenous peoples in BC.