Emily Dawson
Team Lead – Donor Relations, Fundraising and Communications
Emily spent 28 years working in both the private and public/not-for-profit sectors in a variety of roles within communications, fundraising and consulting. At every stop, Emily’s passion for developing relationships, storytelling, leading teams, and contributing to meaningful purposes drove her work. She has always been attracted to roles that have strong alignment with her personal values of equity, altruism, and community.
Volunteerism has always been important to Emily – both to support the communities in which she lived and worked and to mentor people and organizations in her field to help grow a stronger, more resilient not-for-profit sector. From consulting with Management Advisory Services to serving as a Rotarian and Board Member with the Rotary Club of East York, volunteerism has fulfilled Emily’s personal and professional ambitions and provided important emotional balance.
Emily retired in 2025 and was looking for a volunteer role to bring her that same level of personal well-being and satisfaction. She’s excited to bring her experience in donor relations, not-for-profit management, and fundraising to On-The-Ground Toronto to help fulfill its mission of advancing the work of community leaders who are supporting our neighbours and creating lasting, positive change on the ground.
