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Joanne Persad hails from Trinidad, where she spent afternoons and weekends assisting in the family grocery store. She experienced firsthand the level of commitment and hard work it takes for a business owner to be successful. Today she serves as the Chief of Operations at the Queens Chamber of Commerce, where her focus is ensuring that the Chamber provides every resource available to small business owners in the borough, so they can work toward and enjoy the success her family did. Prior to joining the Queens Chamber of Commerce, Joanne served in project management, government affairs, and public relations at the corporate office of Waste Management, the leading national waste management solutions company.

Joanne immigrated to the United States at the age of 27 so that her children would have every opportunity to reach their full potential. She brings this commitment to children to her work on the Board of Directors at The Child Center, and she lends a valuable perspective to conversations, as she can look at issues analytically, but also through the lens of someone on the receiving end of policies and changes.