Joan is a Registered Migration Agent and an overseas qualified lawyer and was first admitted as an attorney of the High Court in South Africa in 1993. She practised as a labour lawyer until 1999 when she joined South African Airways as Senior Manager Legal Services. South African Airways sponsored her to complete her Diploma in Air Law in Geneva, Switzerland She practised in aviation law ever since. Her last role in South Africa was as one of the counsel for British Airways/Comair. Joan moved to Australia in mid-2007.

As a registered agent she ran her own migration consultancy in Brisbane before joining AMVL.

She has a B.Proc, B.A.(Honours), Dip Air Law (IATA) and a Graduate Certificate in Migration from Griffith University.

Joan has a lot of empathy with the many challenges migrants have to face when arriving in a new country.  She is passionate about 'brand Australia’ and thrilled that she and her family have already become Aussies themselves.

She speaks English, German and Afrikaans fluently and learnt French and Latin at school and university, respectively.