The Australian Women's Register

As CEO of the International Women’s Development Agency, Joanna was responsible for strategic and organisational leadership to accelerate systemic change, women’s economic empowerment, safety and security, and women’s civil and political participation. IWDA is Australia’s leading international development organisation entirely focused on diverse women’s rights and gender equality. She led the research, policy and advocacy for women’s rights and gender equality in international settings with a focus on program partnerships with 30 other women’s rights organisations in the Asia Pacific region. As the international spokesperson for the organisation, Joanna provided expert, evidence-based advice relating to women’s rights and gender equality to national and international governments and other international stakeholders including United Nations Commissions, Councils or agencies, the World Bank, ASEAN, APEC, international human rights networks and the global women’s movement and supporting coalitions and alliances.

Joanna has been engaged with Myanmar since her first arrival on Tsunami Day 2004 and experienced the Saffron Revolution, Cyclone Nargis, the constitutional referendum, and the 2012 & 2016 elections. Her multiple relationships include:
· Country Director for Burnet Institute responsible civil society program partnerships across 10 states and divisions. Program focus was health, education, women, youth and human rights.
· Organisational Development Adviser with Myanmar Anti-Narcotics Association over 7 years with this nationwide NGO of 12,000 members with a focus on harm reduction and demand reduction.
· Evaluation Team Leader, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for the review of the Humanitarian Multi-Stakeholder Fund for Myanmar.
· Senior Evaluator, United Nations Development Program to assess the Inter Agency Standing Committee (membership of over 100 organisations) contribution to humanitarian and recovery response to Cyclone Nargis.
· Project Director, of the six nation Asia Illicit Drugs Initiative targeting drug treatment programs.
· CEO, IWDA with oversight of programs partnerships with Chin, Karen, Shan and Palaung women’s organisations and other national organisations working to advance gender equality.
· Founding member of Three Diseases Fund.
· INGO representative on Government Committee to prepare Myanmar’s first National HIV Plan.

Joanna’s four year residency in Vietnam from 1997-2000 included Country Directorship for Save the Children UK in managing child rights programs for ethnic minority primary education; poverty alleviation; microfinance for women; disability; early childhood care and development; people trafficking and sexual exploitation prevention; and HIV/AIDS. She also held roles as a Communications Strategist to UNAIDS and the Hanoi based representative for University of WA’s Community Health, Research & Training Unit.

For close to a decade from 1987, Joanna worked across thirteen countries in Africa. As the Regional Director for Overseas Service Bureau she involved multiple development settings including refugee and exile camps, agricultural settings, industrial zones, small and medium enterprises, remote villages, institutions for health and education and public sector departments. She negotiated five Memoranda of Understanding between national governments and OSB. Joanna was involved directly in historical transitions in anti-apartheid activities with the ANC. Her strategic management included multiple partnerships with civil society, government and UN bodies in addressing human security and human development in South Africa, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Namibia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya and Tanzania.

Joanna has a long history in international peace and security. She is a founding member of the Australian Civil Society Coalition for Women, Peace and Security. Her current work is located in fragile states, conflict and post conflict countries across Asia and the Pacific. This leadership and/or protection programs for women and girls in conflict and post conflict zones, exile settlements and refugees camps; addressing gender based violence and trafficking of women and girls; resourcing women’s increased participation in peace processes and leadership to improve issues pertaining to the socio-economic consequences of violence and conflict; and peace building programs with ethnic women organisations and the broader Myanmar women’s movement in convergence with the reconciliation process. Joanna’s engagement in international disarmament dialogues began in the mid 80’s as the leader for People for Nuclear Disarmament in Western Australia with attention to defence policy and treaties, militarization of the seas, peace treaties, arms limitation talks, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, nuclear technology, IAEA safeguard systems, nuclear testing, peace education and conflict resolution. She was awarded the ‘Donald Groom Fellowship’ in 1986 to contribute to non-violent social change as a resident in Japan. Subsequently, as the International Coordinator for the Pacific Campaign to Disarm the Seas, Joanna worked in close relations with the International Peace Bureau, the Northern Atlantic Network and the Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific Campaign.

Joanna’s national and international policy and advisory work includes advisory committee work for the Individual Deprivation Measure (IWDA/ANU/DFAT) and directing Policy and International Program Development for the Australian International Health Institute from 2002-4 and as a Senior Health Consultant to ACIL Pty Ltd from 2000-2.