Johnjoan Mende is a Cum Laude Graduate of Bachelor of Arts in Classical Philosophy from the University of Santo Tomas. He studied under the auspices of the Central Seminary at the same university, where he also earned his Licentiate in Philosophy, Magna Cum Laude.

​While working as a development worker with the Social Action Center of the Diocese of Tagbilaran, he pursued studies in law. He also taught philosophy and religious education at the then Divine Word College–Tagbilaran. Later, he joined the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), where he has been serving for twenty-seven years. As a departmental scholarship grantee focusing on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, he earned a Graduate Diploma in Environmental Management, with Merit, from the Australian National University.

He has served the department in various capacities, including as City Director of DILG-Lapu-Lapu City and Mandaue City. He also served as the Provincial Director for the Province of Negros Oriental and is currently the DILG Director of his home province of Bohol. As an accredited trainer in local governance with the Local Government Academy, he joins his colleagues in delivering capacity-building interventions for both DILG officers and elected local officials.