Jo Dowling was born in the United Kingdom and after what felt like a long career in marketing communications for IT companies, she joined Children 1st in Scotland in 2003 as its individual giving manager and found her calling. Since then, she has held roles in charities, schools, and universities, and was named Scotland’s Institute of Fundraising ‘Fundraiser of the Year’ in 2010. In 2014, Dowling and her family moved to New Zealand, where she took up the role of director, alumni & fundraising, leading a team that nurtures relationships with 140,000 alumni and supporters across the University of Canterbury. Fundraising includes individual, major and planned giving, grants, corporate donations, and sponsorships.