Joanne Bath
she/her
Founder & CEO
Ask Joanne what drives great fundraising, and she'll tell you it starts with people. Their stories, their hopes, their belief that they can actually make change happen. That belief, that deep, stubborn optimism, is what built Kittiwake, a nationally-recognized philanthropic consultancy. Joanne has spent her career helping drive life-changing health research and care across the Maritimes, across Canada, and beyond. She's seen firsthand what happens when a community rallies behind a cause. How a single gift can spark research that saves lives. Along the way, she's had the privilege of guiding organizations like Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation and the IWK Foundation, building high-performing fundraising teams that thrived through changing times and raised tens of millions of dollars. Joanne now leads a team of fundraising experts who are genuinely transforming the giving landscape with an entrepreneurial, collaborative approach. They don't do the old-school consulting thing where someone hands you a binder and walks away. Her team swoops in, like their namesake bird, with fresh air, perspective, and energy, and they deliver hands-on strategic help. Whether she's advising healthcare foundations or mentoring rising leaders Joanne is driven by the same belief: investing in people creates ripple effects far beyond any single organization. Outside of Kittiwake, she's part of Spring Collective & Sandpiper Venture, national venture capital funds focused on investing in underrepresented founders and funders. She gives her time, expertise, and investments to underrepresented founders and equity-building initiatives. Joanne holds a Bachelor of Social Work from Memorial University of Newfoundland and certifications in both fundraising and leadership. But more than that, she knows how to bring people together around a shared goal. Over her career, she's helped raise more than $90 million for causes that changed lives. And, this year, she was recognized as one of the 25 Most Powerful Women in Business by Atlantic Business Magazine. For Joanne, it all comes down to trust, relationships, and investing in people. It's the same lesson she learned back home in Newfoundland, watching her mother give what she had to whoever needed it most: when one person rises, the whole community does.
Mackenzie Darbyshire, CFRE
she/her
Strategic Growth Director
Mackenzie Darbyshire loves the work of nonprofits. Like, really loves it. The puzzle of it, the people in it, the fact that every single day she gets to help organizations do the thing they exist to do: change the world. With a decade in the philanthropic sector, specializing in annual, planned, and major giving, Mackenzie has built and led fundraising programs rooted in deep donor relationships, sustainable growth, and treating every gift like the invitation it is. As Strategic Growth Director at Kittiwake, Mackenzie gets to do the thing she nerds out about most: all of it. She leads integrated direct response programs, works with clients on strategic planning and coaching, digs into storytelling and major gifts planning, and is deep, deep into the data, spotting the patterns across the sector that most people miss. Here's the thing most people don't expect: Mackenzie has a degree in death and dying. A BA (Hons) in Psychology and Thanatology from King's University College at Western University, to be exact. And that background is the foundation for everything she does. Because grief and hope exist together. That understanding is what she brings to every conversation, whether she's guiding a donor through a transformational gift or mentoring a team member toward their own success. She is particularly passionate about translating complex needs into clear, inspiring cases for support: taking the big, messy, beautiful mission and turning it into something a donor can hold onto and say, "Yes, I want to be part of that." Beyond her professional work, Mackenzie has served in volunteer roles with AFP Nova Scotia, the Halifax Jazz Festival, Hospice Halifax, and Seasons Centre for Grieving Children. She also holds certifications in Social Media Practices, Mental Health First Aid, ASIST, and CFRE.
Sarah Dineen
she/her
Strategic Advisor, Major Gifts
Sarah brings over eleven years of progressive experience in fundraising, with a strong record of leading high-impact philanthropic initiatives. Most recently, she directed the planning, management, and execution of an ambitious, integrated major gifts program at The Royal Conservatory of Music’s Glenn Gould School. Known for her strategic approach to donor engagement and her ability to secure transformational gifts, Sarah has a proven track record across individual giving, major gifts, and legacy giving. Her expertise spans donor cultivation and stewardship, organizational planning, and volunteer engagement—making her a trusted advisor to both internal teams and external stakeholders. Beyond her core fundraising leadership, Sarah has deep experience in event strategy and execution, the management of giving circles, and volunteer and committee engagement—key components in building lasting donor relationships and successful initiatives. A passionate advocate for community involvement, Sarah has championed causes such as Special Olympics Canada and the Community Association of Riders with Disabilities (CARD). She holds a BFA (Hons) in Theatre and is a proud member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
Michelle Paradis
she/her
Specialist, Prospect Strategy & Client Experience
Michelle has 20 years of experience in direct response program management and prospect research and prospect management. With her strategic and analytical mindset, she successfully led the direct response program for the IWK Foundation raising millions of dollars and provided strategic insights for Dalhousie’s Molly Appeal Campaign for Medical Research. Her depth of experience includes all facets of direct response campaigns from the initial strategic plan to writing compelling copy, data segmentation and analysis, managing deadlines and stewardship. Michelle’s journey in her fundraising career began with and also continues to be in prospect research and prospect management. She approaches prospect research with curiosity and attention to detail to identify prospects, develop profiles with a focus on building a healthy robust pipeline. She has a comprehensive understanding of the donor journey including acquisition, annual giving and the transitions to major and legacy giving, the importance of building meaningful relationships through intentional stewardship, how all of the elements are interconnected and their importance to achieving fundraising success.
Meet Our Team
At Kittiwake, we bring heart to strategy and intention to every partnership, grounded in our belief that the nonprofit sector deserves thoughtful, creative support.
Our people bring together deep sector experience, East Coast heart, and a shared commitment to helping nonprofits and philanthropic organizations rise above the waves. We’re strategists, storytellers, and collaborators who know that meaningful change doesn’t happen alone — and we’re proud to walk alongside our clients every step of the way.
Penny Blackwood
she/her
Senior Advisor
Penny brings nearly three decades of leadership in higher education, including 26 years in advancement across Canada and the U.S. With a deep track record in building donor relationships and strengthening institutional advancement, she has helped teams increase their impact, sharpen their strategy, and raise significant philanthropic support. As Executive Director of Alumni Affairs and Development at Memorial University, Penny led a team that raised more than $280 million in philanthropic revenue, with an additional $52 million in planned gifts secured but not yet realized. Earlier in her career, she held advancement leadership roles in U.S. institutions, including directing a state foundation and leading corporate and major gift efforts for engineering. Penny’s focus at Kittiwake is on strengthening Advancement strategy to improve performance & talent development through major gift coaching and recruitment with a focus on increased ROI. She’s known for her ability to build team capacity, mentor fundraisers, and create alignment between institutional priorities and donor engagement. Penny holds a PhD and is valued for her thoughtful approach, strategic insight, and deep understanding of the higher education landscape
Erin McKenna
she/her
Communications Specialist
Erin has a passion for creative strategy and purposeful design. She specializes in the digital integration of integrated direct response (IDR) campaigns, bringing together compelling visuals and targeted messaging that move donors to action across multiple channels. At Kittiwake, Erin leads social media strategy and design, ensuring that every campaign feels cohesive, on-brand, and built to connect. She combines a creative eye with a strategic mindset to help nonprofit organizations engage their audiences and build lasting donor relationships.
Amanda Macauley
she/her
Marketing & Communications Specialist
Amanda is an award-winning communication and marketing professional with a diverse background spanning the not-for-profit, public, and private sectors in both Canada and the United Kingdom. She is passionate about strategic communication and specialize in crafting tailored messages that engage a broad spectrum of stakeholders to maximize reach and impact. Her communications strategies focus on various media channels, include targeted messaging, and incorporate additional marketing tactics. Amanda focuses on combining creativity with data-driven insights to help organizations achieve their goals and build meaningful audience connections.
The Warrington Group
Recruiting Partner
The Warrington Group isn’t just a team; we're a stellar combination of drive, energy, unique skills + a commitment to authenticity that allows each team member to shine! We focus on exceptional client delivery + stellar candidate experience! It’s why we are recruitment done right. With diverse backgrounds across multiple industries, we’ve built our foundation to be a recruitment firm that values human connections as much as professional achievements. With more than 23+ years of combined recruitment expertise, led by a founder with both agency + corporate recruitment experience, our team offers a mix of industry insights, relentless dedication + creative yet strategic recruitment practices that set us apart from the rest.