Joanne graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer and Information Sciences. She spent 14 years with Hewlett-Packard Asia Pacific in senior management positions specializing in enterprise servers, PCs, and technology finance business units.
After leaving Hewlett-Packard in 2001, she searched for a platform to give back to the community. She found Rotary, a trusted and established organization.
Joanne joined the Rotary Club of Suntec City in February 2004, becoming its club president in 2007-08. She spearheaded her club’s active participation in several Rotary Foundation global grant projects in Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. She was Assistant Governor in 2009-10, 2016-17, and 2017-18.
Joanne was Assistant Rotary Coordinator for 3 years, Region 6 in 2018-20 and Region 12 in 2020-21. Since 2018, she was the organizing secretary and trainer at four Regional Leaders’ Meetings, Regional Team Trainings, Joint Regional Seminars, and District Membership Chair Trainings.
She has attended Rotary International conventions in Bangkok (2012), Sydney (2014), Seoul (2016), Atlanta (2017), Toronto (2018), Hamburg (2019), Virtual Conventions in 2020 and 2021, and Houston (2022). She is the Vice Chair, Marketing and Promotions for the 2024 Rotary International Convention in Singapore.
Since 2016, she has attended several Rotary Institutes in the region. She was Institute Program Coordinator for both the 2020 and 2021 Singapore Virtual Rotary Institutes, and was also responsible for regional promotion. She is now the Vice Chair, Marketing as well as the District 3310 Promotion Chair for the 2022 Yas Island Rotary Institute in Abu Dhabi.
Joanne is a Rotary Foundation Major Donor Level 1, Benefactor, and Paul Harris Society member. She won the Rotary Club of Suntec City Rotarian of the Year Award in 2004-05, 2011-12, and 2016-17; the Rotary International Club Builder Award in 2014-15, the Rotary International Avenues of Service Award in 2019-20, and The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service in 2020-21.
Joanne will be Singapore’s first woman district governor since 1930, when Rotary landed on our shores.