University of Waterloo appoints new vice-president, advancement

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

The University of Waterloo today named Joanne Shoveller as vice-president, advancement, effective January 1, 2017.  Shoveller is currently associate dean, advancement and alumni relations at INSEAD, The Business School for the World.

Joanne Shoveller

“Joanne Shoveller brings to the University of Waterloo a tremendous depth of experience in building relationships and fundraising on a global scale,” said Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor of Waterloo. “I am delighted to welcome her to the University’s leadership team. I’m confident that she will help drive our collective efforts to develop a strategic link between our academic mission, our fundraising goals and the interests of alumni, donors and volunteers.”

In her four years at INSEAD, Shoveller has transformed the institution’s alumni relations and advancement focus, resulting in a quadrupling of philanthropic giving.  In 2016, the Financial Times ranked INSEAD number one in their MBA, Executive MBA and Single School Executive MBA.    

As vice-president advancement at the University of Guelph from 2004 to 2012, Shoveller strengthened the university’s overall institutional advancement with the Department of Alumni Affairs and Development, including designing and initiating The BetterPlanet Project campaign to celebrate Guelph’s 50th anniversary.  She also spent 17 years at Western University in a number of progressive roles, including a two-year posting in Hong Kong.                  

“I am honoured to join the University of Waterloo, which has an incredible reputation due to the combination of its co-operative education model, entrepreneurial culture and transformational research,” said Shoveller. “I look forward to contributing to Waterloo’s future growth with ambitious plans, renewed vision and focus, and to working collaboratively with the entire University community.”

A graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University (BA English language and literature) and Western University’s Ivey Business School (MBA), Shoveller will lead the development, principal gifts, advancement services, faculty advancement and alumni relations teams with responsibility for advancing the University’s goals through strategic fundraising locally, nationally and internationally.