CEO of Amp Up Your Voice | DEI Consultancy CEO of the Year 2024 | Board Trustee & Executive Coach | Expert Speaker & Corporate Trainer | Revolutionizing Anti-Racism & Gender Inclusion through Strategic Governance.
The journey of a positive disruptor rarely begins in a boardroom; it starts in the quiet observations of a child witnessing the world’s uneven edges. For Johanne Penney, the seeds of her mission were sown in Maidenhead, Berkshire. Growing up just outside the magnetic pull of London, Johanne developed a sharp, early awareness of contrast, the subtle but persistent gap between universal talent and selective access.
Attending local state schools, she was a keen observer of systems, noticing how confidence was often a byproduct of representation. While her peers saw a standard educational path, Johanne saw a landscape where opportunity was not always distributed by merit. In these formative years, two defining traits were forged: a lawyer’s sense of analysis and an advocate’s resilience. She did not just want to participate in the world; she wanted to understand the mechanics of why some voices were amplified while others were muted. This dual lens of resilience and scrutiny would eventually become the bedrock of a career dedicated to leveling the playing field for everyone.
The Legal Blueprint and the Professional Ascent
Johanne’s professional ascent began with a rigorous academic foundation at the University of Westminster, where she earned a Bachelor of Laws (LLB). While she initially envisioned a future at the Bar as a barrister, life’s unpredictable trajectory led her to her first pivotal role as a Legal Assistant at the Electoral Commission.
Working within a national regulatory framework was a masterclass in governance, accountability, and the weight of institutional power. It was here that she learned how policies live or die by their implementation. This early exposure to high-level governance ensured that when she eventually moved into the DE&I space, she would not just speak the language of sentiment, she would speak the language of strategy and succession planning.
Over the next two decades, Johanne navigated various sectors, building a reputation for excellence. However, she often found herself in spaces where the talk of inclusion was a mere checkbox exercise. She reflects on this period with a stark, necessary honesty:
“I started Amp Up Your Voice because I knew what it felt like to be in rooms where people like me weren’t always seen or heard, where the talk of inclusion didn’t match the reality. I’ve worked in sectors that tick the boxes but avoid the conversations. I’ve sat in spaces where silence was easier than truth. And I knew I couldn’t sit quietly anymore.”
The 2019 Catalyst: From Crisis to Calling
Every trailblazer faces a moment of reckoning. For Johanne, that moment arrived in late 2019. Despite twenty years of experience and a legal pedigree, she faced firsthand, systemic discrimination that cost her a career path she had meticulously built. It was a painful, clarifying realization: if a professional of her caliber could be sidelined by systemic bias, the problem was not personal, it was foundational.
Rather than withdrawing, Johanne recalibrated. She recognized that her experience was a symptom of a deeper organizational rot, embedded in the very fabric of policies and procedures. That conviction gave birth to Amp Up Your Voice, a consultancy designed not just to “fix” diversity, but to revolutionize how companies approach anti-racism and equity.
As a Black woman navigating these high-stakes environments, Johanne has never shied away from the emotional and professional gravity of her work. She openly shares the reality of this climb:
“As a Black woman speaking boldly in corporate and boardroom spaces, I’ve faced doubt, been underestimated, and had to work twice as hard to prove my credibility. At times, I’ve felt isolated in this work, carrying the emotional weight of creating brave spaces while navigating my own experiences of exclusion.”
Modernizing the Corporate DNA
Today, as the CEO of Amp Up Your Voice and the DEI Consultancy CEO of the Year 2024 (London), Johanne is the consultant that Executive Boards turn to when they are ready to move past performance and into practice. She has become known as a positive disruptor, a title that reflects her ability to challenge the status quo without alienating the people within it.
Her impact is best summarized by those she has led through the fire of transformation. Alexandra Evreinoff, Managing Director at Involve, notes that Johanne has been “instrumental in the delivery of our Inclusive Leadership Program… tactfully and expertly facilitating conversations on Racism with different types of audiences.” Similarly, Fiona Carragher, Director at the Alzheimer’s Society, credits Johanne with “challenging our thinking, encouraging us to step out of our comfort zone and enable the changes we want to see.”
Johanne’s approach is collaborative but uncompromising. She does not offer quick fixes; she offers a roadmap to cultural advocacy. Whether she is facilitating a panel at Red Bull HQ or advising a global board on anti-racism, her goal is to bridge the gap between corporate influence and grassroots truth. Jade Buffong-Phillips, a fellow visionary leader, highlights this rare gift:
“It’s rare to see someone bring together corporate influence, grassroots voices, and creative energy with the kind of power and grace that Jo does… She doesn’t just talk about change; she facilitates it, by bridging gaps between sectors and ensuring everyone in the room feels seen and heard.”
A Vision for the Legacy
Johanne Penney does not believe in luck; she believes in alignment. Her leadership philosophy is a blend of clarity, courage, and community. She advises the next generation of leaders to “build depth before visibility” and to refuse the urge to shrink their ambitions to suit the comfort of others.
Her mantra is a simple, powerful directive: “Think Big.” For Johanne, ambition is not a luxury; it is a responsibility. She envisions a future where diversity is no longer a separate initiative but is ingrained in the DNA of every business, from recruitment to investment.
“I believe in grounding yourself so deeply in purpose that what looks like ‘luck’ to others is really the result of intention, faith, and consistency. Thinking big means holding a gold-standard vision and believing it is attainable.”
As she looks toward the future, with a Global Queen Award nomination and a growing global footprint, Johanne remains the fearless founder who turned a personal trial into a corporate revolution. She continues to walk alongside progressive organizations, ensuring that the voices of the underrepresented are no longer just heard, but amplified.
Editorial Note
Johanne Penney’s journey reminds us that true leadership is the conscious use of power to expand opportunity for others. Her story is a call to action for every executive and organization to move beyond “checking the box” and toward genuine social justice. If you are ready to challenge your own status quo and build a legacy of true inclusion, the time to “Amp Up Your Voice” is now.
