Raised between Whakatāne and Gisborne, Jo learned resilience and responsibility early. Jo helped raise her younger siblings, including her sister Teresa who has Down syndrome. When their mother became unwell, Jo became Teresa's legal guardian and nursed their mother through her terminal illness. Those experiences shaped her belief that strong communities rely on strong support systems — and that dignity, compassion, and opportunity should never depend on circumstance.

After leaving school with only School Certificate, Jo worked in a range of roles. As she raised her two children, she faced her share of challenges and, at one point, found herself sitting in a WINZ office as a solo mother of two unsure how she would provide for her children. It was a defining moment — one that gave her a deep understanding of the pressures many New Zealanders face and the importance of systems that genuinely support people to succeed.

Determined to rebuild, Jo retrained as an Early Childhood Education teacher before establishing and owning her own early childhood centre. That experience as a business owner means she understands first-hand the realities of meeting payroll, employing staff, balancing budgets, and making tough decisions while still putting people first. Her centre was the first of its kind in New Zealand to become an accredited Living Wage Employer, reflecting her belief that hard work should be recognised with fair pay and dignity.

Over the past nine years in Parliament, Jo has built a reputation as a practical, hardworking, and grounded advocate for regional New Zealand. She has served as Minister of Customs, Associate Minister of Education, Associate Minister of Agriculture, and now serves as Labour’s spokesperson for Agriculture, Biosecurity and Customs.

Throughout her time in Parliament, Jo has focused on bringing people together, strengthening regional economies, supporting small businesses, improving healthcare and education outcomes, and rebuilding trust between rural communities and government. Through initiatives like Labour’s collaboration with Federated Farmers, she has created stronger relationships and more constructive conversations between urban and rural New Zealand.

Now back home in Gisborne and in the East Cape Electorate, Jo is committed to helping build a region where whānau can thrive, businesses can grow, young people can build futures close to home, and communities feel supported, connected, and optimistic about what lies ahead.

For Jo, politics has never been about headlines. It has always been about people.