Joy grew up in Macon, Georgia, spending a lot of her time outdoors. Nature was always an important part of her life.

After graduating from Mercer University, Joy moved to Atlanta, Ga, where she discovered birding and Atlanta Audubon (now Georgia Audubon.) Through Audubon, Joy became an avid birder and an advocate for native habitat preservation and restoration, focusing on Constitution Lakes, a DeKalb County park, and the abundant wildlife found there. She was recognized for her work by Park Pride, winning the Community Inspiration Award in 2011, and by Cox Conserves as one of three finalists for their Hero award in 2014, which included a donation from Cox to Atlanta Audubon.

Joy also served on the Atlanta Audubon Board and was Chair of the Board for four years. During that time, Atlanta Audubon transitioned from a mostly volunteer organization with very limited contracted staff, to a respected regional environmental organization with a robust full-time staff and numerous education and conservation-focused projects.

Along with becoming a birder, Joy became interested in wildlife rehabilitation, particularly birds, which led to her involvement in the founding of Wild Nest Bird Rehab.