Suggestions
Joy Johnston
Sport Governance professional and former Olympic ice hockey referee and International Ice Hockey Federation Officiating Coach
Joy Johnston (formerly Joy Tottman) is a governance professional with a diverse and impressive background.12 She currently serves as the Head of Governance and Operations at The Premier League Charitable Fund, leveraging her expertise in organizational management and sports governance.2
Career Highlights
Sports Governance:: Prior to her current role, Joy worked as a Governance Manager at Sport England. In this position, she was responsible for ensuring that national governing bodies of sport funded by Sport England were well-governed and fit to receive public funds.1
Olympic Referee:: Joy has a remarkable background in ice hockey. She served as an Olympic Ice Hockey referee, participating in three Winter Olympics. Her career in officiating culminated at the 2014 Sochi Winter Games, where she refereed the gold medal women's ice hockey final.1
Ice Hockey Leadership:: After retiring from competitive refereeing, Joy remained involved in the sport. She took on the roles of Chief Referee and Director of Officiating for the Ice Hockey UK Referee Section.1
Education and Early Career
- Academic Achievement: Joy excelled academically, achieving straight A grades in her A Levels.1
- Oxford University: She went on to study Politics, Philosophy, and Economics at Oxford University, an experience she describes as life-changing.1
- Early Professional Experience: After graduating, Joy began her career as a researcher for a headhunting firm, gaining valuable experience in organizational structures and leadership recruitment.1
Personal Life
Through her involvement in international ice hockey, Joy met her husband Scott Johnston, a player for the Canadian national team.1
Joy's career trajectory demonstrates a strong commitment to sports governance, combining her passion for athletics with her expertise in organizational management and leadership.
Highlights
Sharing for my network - a great role in the governance team at Paddle UK
Ice hockey has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. As a young girl from Romford, who just wanted to learn to skate and have fun with friends at our local ice rink, I never dreamed of what the sport would become for me. As a 41 year old woman I look back over a career in the sport with utter disbelief at what I was able to achieve and the experiences and opportunities I had along the way. I have a lot of people to thank for the help, support and belief along the way - and they know who they are! To everyone who has been a part of my journey along the way - thank you!
I have loved every part of my journey and have the fondest memories across the many years in my roles both on and off the ice. The people I’ve met and the experiences I have had will stay with me forever - but the time is right for me to step away from my officiating coaching roles with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and leave the path free for the next generation of officiating coaches. These coaches are awesome and I know they will take the programme from strength to strength - I can’t wait to see how the programme develops and I wish them all well as they forge ahead for the new generation officials. I’ll miss working with them but will stay close and connected to them all as friends I’m sure!
To those officials who I have helped along the way - I may be stepping down from my formal role but I will always have your back and be here for you if you need my support or help. Keep focused on your goals but don’t forget to enjoy the journey along the way - the experiences you will have and the people you will become friends with, will stay with you forever! This sport has so much to give to you - enjoy it all!
