Joanne Dacombe works as a Science Officer for Otago University, focusing predominantly on Autism research. She serves in Governance on a number of boards in the disability sector including Chair of Autism New Zealand, Chair of the Kapiti Disability Advisory Group, and Co-Chair of the Autism/Takiwatanga Living Guidelines Group. She is also a wife, mother of 2 now adult children, grandmother of 4 active boys, and furbaby owner (a dog called Muki).