Joko Mulyono was a village child whose life was affected by the development of the national Kedung Ombo Dam (WKO) project in Kemusu, Boyolali, Central Java, in the 1980s. The compensation his parents received for their home was far from sufficient to secure replacement land at that time, forcing his family to move out of the area. His parents and their siblings relocated through a transmigration program to Muko-Muko District, North Bengkulu Regency, around 1985.

His life journey became more colorful and meaningful despite his family’s limitations during that period—when even dreaming big seemed nearly impossible. He defied those odds by completing his S-3 (Doctoral) studies in the Doctor of Public Administration Program at Diponegoro University in 2023 and receiving the State Civil Apparatus (ASN) Award as 1st Place Winner in the Best Administrator Position category within the Central Java Provincial Government in 2025.

Before completing his doctoral education, his higher education journey began with civil service training at the Department of Home Affairs at the Institute of Home Affairs Governance (STPDN) in Sumedang, West Java, graduating in 1999. He then pursued a Master’s in Public Administration at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta, graduating in 2004.

Currently a bureaucrat by profession, he serves as the Head of the Human Resources for Science, Technology, and Research & Innovation Infrastructure Division at the Regional Research and Innovation Agency (BRIDA) of Central Java Province. He has held several previous assignments, including positions as Secretary of Ngemplak District, Secretary of Ampel District, Head of the Socio-Cultural Governance Division at the Regional Development Planning Agency (BAPPEDA) of Boyolali Regency (2016); Head of Community Economic Development at the Community and Village Empowerment Agency (Bapermasdes) of Central Java Province (2016); Head of Village Government Administration at the Department of Villages, Community Empowerment, and Civil Registration (Dispermadesdukcapil) of Central Java Province (2016-2019); Head of General Affairs at the Surakarta Mental Hospital (RSJD), Central Java Province (2019-2023); and Acting Head of BRIDA for Central Java Province (2024-2025).

Aside from being part of the Central Java Provincial Government staff, Joko Mulyono is also active in various organizations, including: Central Executive Board (PP) of the Gadjah Mada University Alumni Association (KAGAMA) for the 2014-2019 period; Member of the Central Java Provincial Wage Council for the 2014-2018 period; Executive Board of the National Executive Council (DPN) of the Association for Higher Education in Public Governance (IKAPTK) for the 2016-2019 period; Regional Board (Pengda) of KAGAMA for Central Java Province (2020); Executive Board of the Indonesian Historical Society (MSI) for Karanganyar Regency for the 2021-2026 period; Provincial Executive Board (DPP) of IKAPTK for Central Java Province for the periods 2012-2017, 2017-2022, and 2023-2028; and Executive Board of the Regional Leadership Council (DPD) of the Community Empowerment Institute (LPM) for Central Java Province.

To support his career in government bureaucracy, Joko Mulyono has had considerable opportunities to attend various trainings, including: Technical Guidance and certification in Government Goods/Services Procurement; Diplomacy and Foreign Relations Course by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Level III Leadership Training at the Central Java Provincial Government; Technical Guidance Training for Village Governance; Training Methodology Training Based on National Competency Standards (SKKNI) by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Professional Certification Agency (BNSP); Training and certification as an Anti-Corruption Counselor by the Professional Certification Institute of the Corruption Eradication Commission (LSP KPK RI); Training in the Health Sector; Training of Trainers (ToT) for Level IV Leadership Development; and ToT for Deepening the Duties of Regency/City Regional Legislative Councils (DPRD) by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Central Java Provincial Government.

Furthermore, he has been a speaker at several seminars, conferences, and scholarly presentations, including: Presenter on Village Governance Development and Supervision Policies for the Boyolali Regency Government and Central Java Provincial Government; Presenter on Priority Policies for Village Fund Usage in Central Java Province; Presenter on Village Asset Management Policies in Central Java Province; Presenter and Anti-Corruption Counselor for LSP KPK RI (2019–present); and Facilitation and Mentoring for Community Empowerment since 2000 for Village Officials, Village Heads, Village Consultative Bodies (BPD), District Heads, Regency/City Governments, and community-based groups in Central Java up to the present.

In addition to his role as an ASN within the Central Java Provincial Government, he currently lives in Colomadu, Karanganyar, Solo with his wife, Dr. Sri Rahayu Susilowati, and their family. Together, they are pioneering several community-based business ventures, such as Tiered Tube Pyrolysis (PITARA) technology for converting plastic waste into alternative fuel, a health clinic, property, and others. “The best among people are those who are most beneficial to others,” he concluded.