Dr Joanna Alexi has Cypriot heritage and was born and raised in Larrakia Country (Darwin). She now lives and works on Whadjuk Noongar Boodja (Country). Dr Joanna Alexi completed her PhD at the University of Western Australia (UWA) School of Psychological Science in 2020. Her PhD research investigated perceptions and distortions in young adults, including body-image disturbances and using psychophysical research methods.

Since completing her PhD, she has pursued her interest in culture and diversity and now works as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the School of Indigenous Studies at UWA. Here, she works as a part of Professor Pat Dudgeon's team on the Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing Project. This project promotes and develops the social and emotional wellbeing paradigm and the importance of Indigenous knowledges. A core objective of this research is transforming university curricula across Australia to be more culturally responsive through the Australian Indigenous Psychology Education Program (AIPEP).

Joanna is passionate about promoting health and wellbeing outcomes with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, with a focus on strengths-based approaches. Further, she has a keen interest in equity, diversity, and wellbeing advocacy, systems change approaches to improving mental health and wellbeing, mixed methods research, and research translation to education, policy, and practice settings.