
Meet Jo - Champion of calm, courage, and second chances.
Joanne leads our supported housing teams across Hertfordshire and London, bringing a rare blend of compassion, sharp strategy, and steady leadership. With over a decade of third-sector experience — including work with Citizens Advice and Age UK — she understands the everyday realities people face and the systemic barriers that shape them.
Before stepping into the world of social impact, Joanne spent 25 years as a Naval Architect in London. That engineering mindset still runs quietly through her work today: practical problem-solving, clear planning, and a talent for seeing solutions where others see complexity.
Joanne is a registered Psychotherapist specialising in addiction and compulsive behaviours, and she’s a graduate member of the British Psychological Society. She is currently completing her Masters in Addiction Psychology and Counselling, with research focused on treatment approaches within the Criminal Justice System — work that strengthens both our practice and our understanding as an organisation.
Driven by a deep commitment to social inclusion, Joanne brings a calm, grounded presence to the people we support and the teams she leads. Her work centres on empowerment, dignity, and helping individuals move towards lives they can feel proud of.
- jo@firstpeople.org.uk
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- Call/WhatsApp/Text Jo on 07833 818190