From hosting celebrities in luxury hospitality to working alongside farmers in the Kingdom of Tonga, Joanna’s career has taken her to two very different sides of the global supply chain.

Now stepping into a leadership role at Fairtrade Australia and New Zealand, she brings a unique perspective shaped by her experiences across the Pacific and a passion for the people behind the products we love.

We caught up with Joanna to learn more about her journey to Fairtrade, what excites her about joining the team and why cotton is her unexpected Fairtrade favourite.

First things first, tell us a little about yourself! What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?

For many years, I lived and worked in the Pacific, mainly in the Kingdom of Tonga, with my work taking me across Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia. I worked in agriculture, building value chains and helping farmers, women and young people get a fair share of what they produce.

But what might surprise you is that, in another life, I spent 20 years working in luxury hospitality, hosting celebrities and high-profile guests.

In that world, loving fine food and wine wasn’t enough. I had to know the stories behind them, from the origins of a vintage to what made a single-origin coffee so special. That’s where I developed an appreciation for terroir and provenance: how the land, climate and people behind a product give it its unique character.

What I didn’t see then was the other side of that story.

Living and working in the Pacific changed that. I met farmers growing produce every bit as exceptional as what I’d served at the finest tables, but who couldn’t access those same markets.

They didn’t lack quality or skill. They lacked the investment, infrastructure and fair trading relationships needed to reach high-value buyers.

Two people can grow the same exceptional product and live very different lives, depending on who holds the power in the supply chain.

That gap between what we value at the table and what actually reaches the farmer is what brought me to Fairtrade.

“Two people can grow the same exceptional product and live very different lives, depending on who holds the power in the supply chain.”

What drew you to Fairtrade? And what excites you most about being part of the team?

I’ve known Fairtrade for a long time. Like many people, I’d look for the FAIRTRADE Mark when shopping. Choosing a product with that Mark was a conscious decision. I knew my purchase was helping support a farmer’s or worker’s livelihood, and that every choice, however small, was part of something bigger.

My time in the Pacific showed me the reality behind the Mark. I saw what happens when farmers can’t get a fair deal, and what changes when they can.

So when I was invited to join the Fairtrade ANZ Board, it was a huge honour. Now, stepping into operations and working with the team every day is both a privilege and an honour.

Global trade is changing fast, geopolitical tensions are rising, and climate change and the cost of living are putting pressure on farmers and shoppers alike.

That’s exactly when Fairtrade matters most.

What excites me is the opportunity to tell the stories of Fairtrade farmers and workers in fresh, creative ways, through our campaigns, partners and communities. I know from my hospitality days that people care when they hear the story behind their food.

And then there’s the team. I feel truly blessed to work alongside people who bring such deep knowledge of Fairtrade, strong relationships with producers, licensees and supporters, and genuine passion for the work.

I’m still learning this global system, and I couldn’t ask for better people to learn from as we write the next chapter of Fairtrade in Australia and New Zealand.

What’s one Fairtrade product you couldn’t live without? Coffee, chocolate, tea or something else?

Only one? That’s tough!

Coffee, tea, bananas, vanilla, sugar and cocoa all get regular use in my kitchen. But if I have to choose just one, I’ll go with cotton.

I couldn’t live without my cotton towels, cotton sheets and, yes, my cotton underwear!

There’s nothing quite like wrapping yourself in a soft towel or slipping into crisp cotton sheets at the end of a long day. To me, that’s true luxury.

Cotton is natural, renewable and biodegradable. It breathes, keeps you cool in summer and cosy in winter, and only gets softer with age.

We often say we couldn’t live without our morning coffee or a piece of chocolate, but those pleasures last minutes. Good cotton stays with you for years.

When we buy cotton, we’re investing in something we’ll use every day, as well as the farmers who grew it.

The same appreciation for natural fibres runs deep in my Tongan culture. Our finely woven pandanus mats are among our most precious treasures, our koloa.

Made by hand from natural fibres, they’re worn on important occasions and carefully passed down through generations. They’re a beautiful reminder that when something is made well, from the land and with care, it can last a lifetime and beyond.

When you’re not working, where would we find you? Any hobbies, hidden talents or guilty pleasures?

Most likely at home in the kitchen!

Cooking is how I relax, create and share with the people I love.

I’m a mother, aunt, sister and daughter, and I treasure every one of those roles. But my guilty pleasure is slipping away from it all for a little while.

You might find me on a walk in nature, listening to the tūī and kererū, or enjoying the bliss of a good massage. And of course, there’s always room for something sweet. Chocolate is top of the list!

Lately, I’ve also discovered cacao circles, where people gather to share ceremonial cacao and meditate together.

It’s a beautiful way to slow down and reconnect, and a reminder that cacao has been treasured for centuries, long before it became the chocolate bar in our pantry.

If you could sit down for a coffee with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?

It would be Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the first woman and first African to lead the World Trade Organization.

Everything I’ve shared comes back to one belief: trade can change lives when it’s fair.

I saw it in the Pacific, working with farmers, women and young people who grew exceptional produce but couldn’t reach the markets that would value it.

Dr Okonjo-Iweala has spent her career championing the power of trade to lift communities out of poverty and drive fair, sustainable growth.

She also inspires me as a woman. She’s led in spaces where women have rarely had a seat, from her time as finance minister and at the World Bank to her leadership of the WTO.

She’s a true disruptor and an inspiration to women everywhere, particularly at a time when global trade feels more uncertain than it has in decades.

So over a Fairtrade coffee, I’d ask her:

“In a world where trade is becoming more divided, how do we make sure the small farmers, especially women, who grow the food we love aren’t the ones left behind?”

It’s clear that people and purpose have always been at the heart of Joanna’s journey. We’re excited to have her leading the Fairtrade ANZ team and look forward to the experience, passion and fresh perspectives she’ll bring to the role.