Joanne Rose Ruggeri was born and raised in Beverly, Massachusetts (MA). She graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Before joining the United States Air Force Nurse Corps, Joanne worked in several hospitals, nursing homes, and private duty nursing in the North Shore area of MA, with her last nursing position at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA.  

In June 1990, Joanne received a direct commission into the Air Force and spent ten years as a Medical-Surgical and Critical Care Nurse. She continued to pursue her studies and graduated magna cum laude from Hampton University, Virginia, earning her Master's Degree in Nursing with a concentration in the Family Nurse Practitioner program in May 2000. Joanne earned her Board Certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner and continued her studies, and graduated magna cum laude with a Doctorate of Nursing Practice from the University of Massachusetts Boston in May 2015. ​

Retired Lt Col Ruggeri held various supervisory and leadership positions during her twenty-eight years of active duty in the Air Force. She held assignments at medical facilities in the United States and overseas locations, including Royal Air Force Lakenhealth, England, and Osan Royal Air Base, South Korea. Additionally, she has extensive experience as a combat flight nurse and emergency care medic, having been deployed to Zagreb, Croatia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and one year in Gardez, Afghanistan.   Lt Col Ruggeri was competitively selected as Squadron Commander for the 90th Medical Operations, F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming.

Her final position was Director of Medical Management and Chief of Healthcare Integration assigned to 673rd Medical Group, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER), Anchorage, Alaska. Joanne was honorably discharged and retired in October 2018, USAF. Joanne is married to Stephen A. Swallow, formerly of Basildon, England. Steve has been the sole owner of Alaskan Suncatchers since 1995. They reside in Palmer, Alaska, along with their black labrador, Winston.  

Joanne and Steve enjoy traveling, cooking, watching movies, and reading books. They are avid Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots fans. Doctor Ruggeri is currently pursuing further studies in Integrative Functional Medicine and will soon open her concierge practice, Synchronized Healthcare Services, LLC, in Wasilla, Alaska. She also is a volunteer for the Massachusetts Task Force.