Josanne Leonard is a seasoned cultural strategist, media producer, and communications consultant with over 30 years of experience at the intersection of culture, media, and development across the Caribbean. From her early days as a student activist committed to regional transformation, she has evolved into one of the region’s most respected voices on cultural confidence and creative sector strategy.

For CARIFESTA XV, Josanne’s portfolio includes driving the regional and global messaging of CARIFESTA XV, overseeing stakeholder and media relations, and promoting the Festival’s identity as a platform for cultural innovation, sustainability, and Caribbean unity.

Josanne identifies with Caribbean leadership that is unapologetically regional, rooted in history, and responsive to the future. She believes that our culture can build regional confidence, re-educate the next generation, and strengthen our resilience to shape a Caribbean civilisation capable of meeting the headwinds of our time.
As with her professional life, Josanne brings the same passion and spirit to the things she loves. She is an avid West Indies cricket fan, a staunch supporter of pan, and can often be found in a good card lime where robust debates flow as freely as the music of every era and genre. 

She is also a distinguished broadcaster and a longstanding advocate for the cultural industries, having led and contributed to major pan-Caribbean projects that amplify the region’s creative voice and expand opportunities for artists and storytellers.
If left to her own devices, Josanne would be perfectly content telling Caribbean stories and playing music - always with heart, humour, and a deep love for her Caribbean.