Joanna Robinson is a cause-oriented professional bringing over 20 years of experience in the non-profit sector, with a strong commitment to philanthropy and children's education and health. As Associate Director, Advancement and Community Engagement, Joanna leads engagement and fundraising activities with parents, alumni, staff and friends of Shawnigan Lake School, focused primarily on raising resources to deliver important Project Future initiatives, including capital projects, scholarships and endowment.
Joanna offers extensive experience in managing projects from both the funder and grantee sides, including: relationship management with donors and partners; guiding technical direction of programs; data collection, analysis and research; performance assessments; program reporting; and financial oversight. She is known for her strong interpersonal and communication skills, diplomatic approach, and expertise working with diverse stakeholders including governments, multilateral organizations, private corporations, foundations, community partners, non-profits, and universities. Joanna has worked throughout the world, in Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, India, China, Georgia, Macedonia, Poland, Romania and Russia.
Selected examples of Joanna’s experience include leading the day-to-day management of the UK-based Children's Investment Fund Foundation's (CIFF’s) $50 million investment under the Accelerating Children’s HIV/AIDS Treatment (ACT) initiative, an ambitious $200 million public-private partnership with the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief across 9 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and overseeing the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation's (EGPAF's) multimillion-dollar private donor funding portfolio, including awards from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Johnson & Johnson, and Abbott Fund.
Joanna earned her Master of Science from the London School of Economics and Political Science, with a specialization in international development and child rights. She is married to Rob Armstrong, Shawnigan Lake School Hockey Program's Skills Coach and U15 Prep Team Assistant Coach, and mother to two teenage boys, Sidney (Shawnigan Lake School Boarding Student) and Emmitt Armstrong.