Joanna Durr, Strategy
Joanna is the results-driven culture strategist who believes in building purpose-driven organizations as an influencer and global business partner for her clients.
Over the course of her career, Joanna has galvanized companies to outperform their competitors, supported senior leaders through major change initiatives, and engaged and energized employees to create productive and cohesive workplaces. She has worked as both a consultant and executive operator with Fortune 500 companies including Newell Brands, The Coca-Cola Company, NCR, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and The Home Depot as well as start-up organizations across diverse industries.
Before joining NICH, Joanna spent most of her career with Newell Brands, where she led marketing for the $2.5B home and family business that included the Rubbermaid, Graco, Calphalon, Levelor, and Goody brands. Ultimately, she became the Vice President of Purpose, where she partnered with senior leaders to develop communication and change-management programs that ensured strategic and operational alignment with the company’s purpose.
Prior to her executive experience, Joanna spent more than a decade with the consultancy BrightHouse, a BCG Company where she was the pioneer in developing processes to uncover, identify, and articulate the concept of purpose.
Joanna is acknowledged in the business community as an expert in purpose and is often invited to speak on the topic with key influencers and decision makers. Her efforts have positively impacted broad aspects of business, including marketing and brand strategy as well as employee engagement, recruiting, and training.
Her personal life and interests further reflect her passion for culture. She has chosen Asheville, North Carolina, as her permanent residence because of its immediate access to the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains and lively music, food, and art scene. She is a seasoned traveler, having visited over 30 countries and worked in more than half of them.