Joanne (Joey) C. Freeze is CEO and co-founder of Candente Copper Corp. Since entering the mineral exploration business in 1979, Ms. Freeze has managed exploration programs and evaluated projects for both junior and major international mining companies such as Queenstake Resources Ltd., Arequipa Resources Ltd., Mountain Province Mining Inc., Placer Dome Inc., Dia Met Minerals Corp., Hughes/ Lang Group and Utah Mines Ltd. (BHP).

Ms. Freeze lived and worked in Peru from 1994 to 1997 where she carried out both project generation work and property evaluations for Canadian and Peruvian companies. As a result of her experience in Peru, a partnership was formed with Peruvian geologist Ing. Fredy Huanqui (co-discoverer of the Pierina gold mine) and a new mineral exploration company was born. Candente Resource Corp. was established in 1997, which operated privately until going public on May 15, 2000. Since then Candente Resource Corp. has spun-out various assets to form two other companies, Xali Gold Corp. (once Candente Gold Corp.) and Cobriza Metals Inc.. All three companies are listed on the TSX and the Candente companies are co-listed on the Lima stock exchange. Ms. Freeze is CEO of all three companies and President of Xali Gold Corp.

Ms. Freeze obtained a B.A. in Geography from the University of Western Ontario in 1978 and a B.Sc. in Geology from the University of British Columbia in 1981. She is a Fellow Member of the Geological Association of Canada and is registered with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia, Canada.

In 2011, Ms. Freeze was appointed as a Member of the International Advisory Board for the Institute for the Study of International Development at McGill University - http://www.mcgill.ca/isid/