25 Women for 2024: Joanne Gallagher soars by making connections

By migrating from Canada to Pennsylvania and finally to Tallahassee, Joanne Gallagher has managed to spread her wings and build a nest at the same time, stepping into entrepreneurship and cultivating a strong network of relationships that help everyone.

It’s this comfortable blend of work and warmth that inspired her nomination and selection as one of Tallahassee’s 25 Women You Need to Know.

After a successful career with big consulting firms like Deloitte, Accenture, and KPMG, Gallagher founded SOAR, a firm that specializes in helping government agencies with business processes, programs, and technology, particularly focusing on those offering services for vulnerable citizens.

“I am a change agent,” she says. “My work makes an impact on people's lives. Building and implementing a child welfare system, a Medicaid program, or transforming childcare are key community betterment building blocks.”

She doesn’t stop there. Gallagher's innovative thinking and leadership have earned her recognition from colleagues, government officials, and community members alike.

Class of 2024: 25 Women for 2024: Judge Hetal Desai wants people to be 'treated with dignity'

In 2023, she was awarded as a Woman on Fire in the Business Category by Tallahassee Woman Magazine and she holds leadership positions in the Association of Change Management Professionals, was past VP of Professional Development for the Tallahassee Chapter of the Project Management Institute, and is also a coach and mentor for project management and organizational change management with Tallahassee Community College’s Performance Innovation Institute.

She came to Tallahassee 12 years ago for warmer temperatures and quickly made it home. “I have developed a very strong, close, and relatively small network of personal connections in Tallahassee,” she said. “My (mostly) female 'tribe' is incredibly motivating and empowering. They have provided me with their wisdom and guidance, they share their experiences with me (both the good and the bad), and always offer encouragement. Every woman needs friends like them.”

Gallagher reciprocates. Her kind and compassionate personality as well as her leadership and service, ranging from establishing mentorship programs to volunteering with nonprofit organizations like Big Bend Hospice make a difference to everyone around her.

The time she spent volunteering with LifeConnector, a nonprofit agency that helps create opportunities for young adults entering the workforce or secondary education, is an outlet for her to engage in counseling, mentoring and support. She is a strong advocate and supporter of the Oasis Center for Women and Girls. “I remember what it was like to head out on my own, so I am glad that I can help other women and girls along their way,” she said.

She will tell you that she is dull — naming walks with her dogs, writing, and yoga as her favorite ways to spend her free time — but in fact she has become part of Tallahassee history with the recent purchase of the Corbett House at 864 East Park Avenue. The nationally registered historic building demonstrates the connection she has made to Tallahassee, and her intent to preserve and celebrate its rich history, heritage, and character.

The Corbett House is now the firm headquarters of SOAR, the name of which comes from a conversation she had with her husband before he passed away. “It stands for Strategic Optimization and Research,” she explains, “but it comes from him telling me near the end of his life that he was sad he wouldn’t be able to see me soar. It is a way for me to honor his memory.”

Indeed, Gallagher is soaring, doing good work and inspiring others to follow in her example, reminding us, “It’s easy to say that women should be resilient, focused, and strong as we pursue our goals, but how do we do that? I believe it is with connection, vulnerability, and the support of other women… it works for me!”

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: 25 Women for 2024: Joanne Gallagher innovates to improve lives