Joanne was born in Fort Lee, Virginia and moved several times until her father retired from the military and settled in Federal Point, FL when she was 8. She enjoyed growing up in the county where she developed a love of nature and animals. Joanne spent many years as a stay-at-home mom raising her three children Patrick (Go Bulls!), Robyn (Go Gators!), and Conner (Go Lions!). She is proud of her boys in blue—both her son and husband work for the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. She is happy to be working at the front desk at Big Paws with all her coworkers who she loves so much In her free time, Joanne enjoys being with her family and taking care of her 2 horses, 3 dogs, 4 cats, and 2 grand goats [citation].