Joanne was born in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil in 1977 and, after living in France (1988-1993) and the United States (1993-2006), she returned to Brazil in 2006 in order to found an organization dedicated to education and local development. In her opinion, these are the key instruments for social transformation and for reducing social inequalities in Brazil.

Joanne grew up near Jardim Canadá, where she has lived with her family since 2006. She has degrees in Sociology and French from Bowdoin College (Maine, USA), and a Masters in Sociology from Duke University (North Carolina, USA), with a specialization in Economic Sociology and Sociology of Social Movements.

As Executive Director of Casa do Jardim, Joanne is responsible for program development, team hiring, training and management, fundraising and financial administration of the Institute.

Instituto de Desenvolvimento Local Integrado - Casa do Jardim
Rua Walpoli, 126 | Jardim Canadá, Nova Lima
Minas Gerais, Brasil | CEP 34.000-000
+55 31 98209.2662 | joannedurchfort@gmail.com