Joanne Cribb

Jo is an experienced consultant who has led a variety of projects and assignments. She is regularly asked to facilitate strategy sessions with leadership teams, coach emerging leaders and lead substantial policy, strategy and gender projects. Assignments include evaluating Sport NZ’s gender equity in governance policy, leading sessions at APEC 2023 on gender equality in customs and border agencies, working with the New Zealand Defence Force’s leadership team on the gender diversity of the forces, and completing a gender analysis of immigration policy.

Formerly the Chief Executive of the Ministry for Women and Deputy Children’s Commissioner and leader of the Commissioner’s Expert Advisory Group on Solutions to Child Poverty, Jo is a director on a number of Government and NGO boards.

She has a Doctorate in Public Policy that investigated the contracting relationship between governments and NGOs.
Following her move to a portfolio career, Jo extensively researched the future of work and the result was the 2018 co-authored the book “Don’t Worry About the Robots: How to Survive and Thrive in the New World of Work” which provides an accessible synthesis of the trends in technology that are impacting on work and practical tools for future-proofing careers. The book has been reprinted multiple times.
In 2020, she coauthored the book “Take Your Space: Successful Women Share their Secrets” the aim of which is support women and girls to advance themselves.

In 2016 she was a finalist in the New Zealand Women of Influence Awards and in 2014 a recipient of a Westpac Leadership Fellowship. In 2021 she won the Women in Governance Community Award from Governance New Zealand.