Alumni Profile

Joanne Harrell:
BA Communications 1976; MBA Business 1979
A leader committed to supporting and empowering women

by René Bogan – Communication

Joanne Harrell has not only found her own success, she is also committed to supporting and empowering other women.

The Microsoft General Manager of the Enterprise Sales Strategy Group oversees a personal staff plus 115 of Microsoft top global executives, and she is a mother, community leader, and philanthropist.

Harrell typically starts her workdays early, spending the morning hours catching up on paperwork and conference calls before making breakfast for her family, then heading off to Microsoft.

Harrell oversees the Executive Assets Framework program. Here, she provides leadership and effective marketing strategies; her priorities include matching Microsoft’s top 115 Top Global Executives with external engagement opportunities.

A focused and self-motivated executive, Harrell has worked almost all her life; In fact, Harrell recalls her first job at the age of 15, working for the Red Cross as a candy striper. She is the 1997 recipient of the African American Achievement Award (Omaha, NE) and the 1992 recipient of the Women of Achievement Award (Seattle, WA).

In 1983, she began her career at Pacific Northwest Bell where she and her co-workers were encouraged to volunteer in the community. Following Pacific Northwest Bell, Harrell was the Chief Executive Officer at United Way for ten years.

In addition to her role as a business executive, Harrell has taken a great interest in philanthropy and supports mentorship opportunities for women. In 2006, representing Microsoft, she spoke at the “Global Summit of Women” in Cairo, Egypt. The 3-day conference brought in women leaders to offer motivational and empowering speeches on everything from how to negotiate for yourself and your business to learning the secrets of developing a long-term corporate career.

Besides serving as vice-chairwoman for AAA of Washington, Harrell is a member of the International Women's Forum (IWF) and sits on numerous boards. She is Director of the REI Compensation Committee and Chair and Trustee for the UW Evans School of Public Affairs at the UW.