Joanne is the D&I lead for the IBM UK & Ireland laboratories . She and her team run special gender diversity programmes supporting women’s career and skills advancement. She runs internal events involving mentorship programmes where women share experience and inspire others. Running “Women in Technology Interconnects” twice a year which bring together women from all over the UK and Ireland with themes covering ‘Press for Progress’ & “Be Equal”.  Attendees hear from a range of inspiring IBM and external role models which provide participants with an insight into the technologies that are transforming businesses today, inclusion in society, and career hurdles and how to overcome them. Joanne also co-developed a course called ‘Developing Your Technical Career’, aimed at encouraging female employees on a technical career path through engaging role models and recognising that sometimes technical people face unique challenges. She runs internal lunch and learn sessions for the ConnectingWomen@IBM initiative, among many others. Externally, Joanne empowers young women to pursue careers in STEM through IBM’s educational outreach events and programmes. She also runs Women in Technology days for university women to highlight IBM’s work and its diversity credentials.