Joanne moved to Bayfield as a vacation homeowner and transitioned to a downtown business owner (for 13 years) and full-time resident. She and her partner Ann Watkins have lived in Bayfield for 14 years. Joanne worked for 30 years at not-for-profit healthcare systems in Minnesota, first at Abbott Northwestern Hospital (Allina Health System) as Director of Public Relations and Marketing and then at SMDC Health System (now Essentia) in Duluth as the Vice President of Planning, Marketing/Public Relations, and Information (data) Management. No one in Bayfield cares that she has this experience, so it’s become mostly irrelevant.
Her community involvement since moving to Bayfield has included six years on the Bayfield Chamber and Visitors Bureau and three years as an alderperson on Bayfield City Council.
Her current community-focused priorities are two-fold. To contribute meaningfully to efforts to ensure that Bayfield is a place where year-round residents can live and work (alongside well-planned, vibrant tourism) while offering services to keep all our residents healthy in body, mind, and spirit.
The second is to begin an effort to create a more sustainable business environment that will attract young, energetic business owners, give them a leg up to get started, and provide ongoing resources that will help them succeed.
Her community involvement since moving to Bayfield has included six years on the Bayfield Chamber and Visitors Bureau and three years as an alderperson on Bayfield City Council.
Her current community-focused priorities are two-fold. To contribute meaningfully to efforts to ensure that Bayfield is a place where year-round residents can live and work (alongside well-planned, vibrant tourism) while offering services to keep all our residents healthy in body, mind, and spirit.
The second is to begin an effort to create a more sustainable business environment that will attract young, energetic business owners, give them a leg up to get started, and provide ongoing resources that will help them succeed.