Joanna Stevens founded Premier Strategy in 2002 and has built the firm into a leading advisory business providing community engagement, strategic communications and government advocacy services. Specialising in regional engagement within the renewable energy sector, she understands that these three core disciplines are deeply interconnected and underpin the firm’s approach to delivering successful project outcomes and achieving community acceptance.

With more than 20 years of hands-on experience, Joanna has worked on some of the world’s largest and most complex transformational infrastructure projects. These include major transmission developments across South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria; the world’s largest hydro project; Australia’s largest wind farm; and the world’s largest battery. She leads a team of consultants operating across Australia’s eastern states and South Australia, providing expert guidance to clients navigating complex regulatory, political and community environments.

With a global mindset and regional grounding, Joanna’s key point of difference is her deep understanding of regional communities and how they operate. She is widely regarded as a “go-to” advisor for regional engagement, bringing authenticity, credibility and strong local insight to projects. This perspective is further strengthened by her personal connection to the land—she is a third-generation farmer, with one of Australia’s largest transmission projects proposed to run through her family’s former property.

Outside of Premier Strategy, Joanna is a mother of four who spends her weekends passionately criss-crossing Australia on the sidelines of various sporting fields. A former marathon runner and Ironman competitor, she now jokes that endurance sport has been replaced by parenting logistics. A cancer survivor, Joanna brings passion, resilience, perspective and a grounding to both life and work.