Joanne Massiah is an Attorney-at-Law by profession. Prior to assuming public office, she practiced in the law firm of Massiah and Mack where she specialized in civil, corporate and family law. She is a graduate of the Antigua Girls High School, an honours graduate of the City University of New York and holds a B.A in Political Science. She also holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the University of Oregon Law School and is a member of both the New York and Antigua & Barbuda bars. She holds several Executive Education Certificates from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Senator Massiah is a well known advocate of women’s and children’s issues. Her activism includes being a past president of the Collaborative Committee for the Promotion of Emotional Health in Children (CCOPE), a member of the Professional Organization for Women in Antigua and Barbuda (POWA), a founding member of the Performing Arts Society of Antigua and Barbuda (PASAB) to name a few. She regularly counsels young people.

She is the proud mother of two adolescent sons, Kurt and Brian, both of whom are enrolled at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. She is committed to the professional and educational development of young people and the empowerment of every citizen and resident in Antigua and Barbuda and the wider Caribbean. Her other interests include Gourmet Cuisine, Golf, Pan, Jazz and Blues.