1. United Way York Region
Change starts here.
80F Centurian Drive, Suite 200, Markham, ON L3R 8C1
905-474-9974
york.unitedway.ca
February 15, 2015
To Whom It May Concern:
Each day, I am honoured and humbled to meet exceptional community leaders, people from
different walks of life who inspire me to work harder. Kathy Downes is one such gift,
undoubtedly among our region’s most known, committed and resilient fundraisers.
Engaged and energetic, Kathy has leveraged her deep relationship building skills across a
range of organizations; and, not surprisingly, each has benefitted from her cultivation and
solicitation acumen with record revenue achievements. And, as result oriented and innovative
a fundraiser as she is, this is not Kathy’s greatest leadership skill. Sooner, I would posit that
what makes Kathy exceptional and perfectly positioned for your prestigious Master of
Philanthropy and Non Profit Leadership Program is her deep commitment to community.
Above and beyond her work, Kathy is a tireless volunteer, relentless voice on community issues
and skilled negotiator. Whether leveraging multi-level government funding partnerships,
convening local groups or inspiring individual donors, Kathy has an intuitive knack and a honed
skill set to mobilize everyday people to action. It is the latter that makes Kathy a leader in our
community today and, with even more mentorship, in our sector for decades to come.
At a time of scarce resources, cluttered competition and an ever changing market, we need
non-profit leaders who can do more than fundraise; we need servant leaders who are relentless
consensus builders, collaborators and community champions. Kathy never forgets what drives
her – a fierce resolve to make the world a better place, for all.
In years to come, Carleton University would be fortunate to call Kathy Downes a graduate and
alumni of the Master of Philanthropy and Non Profit Leadership Program.
Please do not hesitate to connect with me directly for any additional feedback.
Sincerely,
Daniele Zanotti
CEO