Joleen Ryan studied for a Bachelor of Social Work at Deakin University. Ryan was a member of the first National Indigenous Leadership Group from 2001 - 2002, was the youth representative on the Victorian Indigenous Family Violence Taskforce from 2001 - 2003 and the first Aboriginal person to be elected President of the Deakin University Student Association.
In April 2005 she received from the Victorian Government, the Ricci Marks Young Achiever Award which recognises the contributions and achievements made by Victorian Indigenous people aged between 15 and 25.
