Growing up in a family deeply impacted by addiction, Joni learned resilience through life’s toughest challenges. A teenage runaway who was homeless and living on her own starting at age 15, she faced many obstacles and made choices that led her further into hardship. After finding recovery in 2002, Joni spent 10 years volunteering on the board of Deo Volente, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting women whose lives have been affected by the family disease of alcoholism. There, she helped operate a retreat house for year-round self-directed retreats and organized large gatherings aimed at empowering women in recovery to build strong relationships and solid life and leadership skills. She also brought the message of recovery into the Norfolk City women’s jail in Virginia every week for many years.
Today, Joni is a successful entrepreneur running three franchise businesses in the real estate industry. She remains deeply committed to helping individuals access resources that will help them find a solid start in recovery, and excel at living their best life.
Joni and her husband, Dave, split their time between Sarasota, FL, and Norfolk, VA. Together, they enjoy boating, fishing, the beach, and exploring new culinary experiences as enthusiastic foodies.