Who We Are

Michael Johnston

Michael Johnston has been a fundraiser for over 23 years, and has worked with 100’s of nonprofit organizations in Canada, the U.S., Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific. Mike is an expert in direct response fundraising innovation and integrated campaigning – most especially in the use of new media technologies like the web and other new technologies and their integration with traditional direct response methods. He has helped raised over a billion dollars for his clients around the world.

He is the author of two books: The Fund Raiser's Guide to the Internet and The Nonprofit Guide to the Internet and the editor of two books: Internet Strategies: Best Practices for Marketing, and Direct Response Fund Raising: Mastering New Trends for Results. Mike is also a contributor to numerous other books and magazines.

Mike is the President and founder of the global fundraising consultancy, Hewitt and Johnston Consultants and the co-founder of two global fundraising products, The Global Legacy Giving Group and the sports-based Pro Am Connection. Mike was a founding Board Member of the Washington-based e-Philanthropy Foundation, and was its first chair of its Education Committee. In addition, Michael was the founding Foundation Chair for the first global charity online lottery, www.globelot.com. He is currently the Chair of the Resource Alliance's Online Fundraising Conference, www.fundraisingonline.com, and the Founding Chair of the Integrated Marketing Advisory Board (www.imabgroup.net), a partnership of 12 of the leading fundraising agencies in North America.

Paul St Onge

Paul has been working in technology and digital for five years. As hjc's business development lead, he works with non-profit organizations to structure online and integrated fundraising solutions. Paul also works closely with multiple fundraising technology partners to ensure we offer clients a solution that fits their exact need. Prior to hjc, Paul spent four years working and consulting with software start-ups in Toronto. When he's not helping clients, he's on the basketball and volleyball court or out exploring the globe.

Sheetal Persaud

Sheetal is passionate about making the world a better place! She loves the challenge of integrating online with traditional fundraising channels to come up with more effective donor acquisition and stewardship, online advocacy opportunities and campaigns. Sheetal is an authorized Convio Consultant, a member of AFP-Toronto, and is currently pursuing her CFRE-designation as well as a certificate in Non Profit and Volunteer Sector Management at Ryerson University. She graduated from Oxford University, England with a B.A. in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. Sheetal also heads up operations management at hjc and speaks at conferences throughout North America.

Matt Barr

Matt works with a diverse range of local and global non-profit organizations helping them grow their online and offline supporter base using online tools. His work at hjc helps clients with the development of e-communications, online and integrated campaign strategy, planning and execution; online and integrated campaign site design; technology evaluation and implementation project management; and implementation and website redesign project management.

Matt graduated from the University of Southampton, UK with a B.Sc. in Politics and International Relations. He has also completed the Humber College postgraduate certificate in fundraising and volunteer management where he now teaches the third semester module called Advanced Fundraising (otherwise known as Online and Integrated Fundraising).

He is an authorized Convio Consultant in the Convio Solution Provider (CSP) certification program, meaning he has received formal training and testing on implementing and advising on strategy around Blackbaud’s Convio products. Matt is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Greater Toronto Chapter and is currently pursuing his CFRE designation.

Tara Irwin

An experienced non-profit professional with online fundraising and individual giving expertise, Tara Irwin uses technology to identify and engage prospects and convert them into donors. She has developed successful integrated fundraising campaigns, online pledge events and cross-channel donor stewardship for organizations including BC Cancer Foundation, Covenant House Vancouver, the Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB), and Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA).

Tara has a post-graduate certificate in Fundraising and Volunteer Management from Humber College. A member and volunteer with the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Greater Toronto Chapter, Tara is currently pursuing her CFRE designation.

Emma Cosgrove

Emma comes from a lifetime of fundraising through volunteer work and organizing fundraising events since the day she learned to walk. She spent three years working at War Child Canada where she was an integral part of growing their fundraising program. Emma is excited to bring what she learned to other organizations. Emma is passionate and excited about the interactions between supporters and organizations. From volunteers to major donors, she sees the importance of every stakeholder and the potential role they can play in an organizations development and strives to help people make the difference they aspire to make as supporters of organizations.

Jessica Lewis

Jessica has been studying and working in the non-profit sector for over four years. She brings an expertise in social media communications within the arts sector, having published her master’s thesis on social media engagement best practices in American art museums. Jessica has worked in online marketing, event management and corporate sponsorship at non-profit cultural and higher education organizations in both Toronto and Chicago, including OCAD University, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Shedd Aquarium. Prior to her work in the non-profit sector, Jessica spent over three years in the consumer packaged goods industry.

Jessica obtained an Honours Bachelor of Commerce from McMaster University and has a master’s degree in Arts Administration & Policy from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Greater Toronto Chapter and is pursuing her CFRE designation. Jessica currently sits on the Frocktail Party 2012 committee, which organizes an annual fundraising event in support of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Cynthia Foster

Cynthia is a fundraising copywriter and creative consultant, specializing in writing and editing copy for non-profits around the world. She infuses energy, emotion and passion into website copy, email and direct mail appeals, stewardship letters and every piece of the copy she writes. She captures a donor’s need to feel a part of the organizations they support and brings to life the work of a non-profit through her words. Cynthia writes copy for a wide range of organizations including: Heart and Stroke Foundation, National Cancer Coalition, Sunshine Foundation of Canada, Canadian Cancer Society Saskatchewan and Ontario Divisions, Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, Humane Society International, Covenant House Vancouver, The Leprosy Mission UK and Wales, cbm Canada, TVO, and many other organizations.

Cynthia is a powerful writer with a solid understanding of integrated and online fundraising best practices. She has a post-graduate certificate in Fundraising and Volunteer Management from Humber College in Toronto. From both her personal commitment to a number of non-profits and through research and working with so many non-profits, Cynthia has a deep understanding of donors for many different types of organizations. Cynthia currently sits on the Board of Directors for Peacefund Canada Foundation and has an active volunteer role in communications and fundraising for Peace Brigades International-Canada.

After attaining her Honours B.A. in Sociology from the University of Western Ontario, where she focused on social inequality, Cynthia travelled for two years with the goal of experiencing what she had studied. She continues to travel whenever possible, driven by a need to understand through experience. When she is not writing or travelling, Cynthia enjoys reading, wandering around Toronto, watching documentaries, spending time with her family, writing letters to her sponsor child, and planning her next trip.

Lindsay Sievewright

Lindsay´s first contact with non-profits was as a volunteer and coordinator of ethical goods for an international aid organization as a student. After graduating, she gained valuable corporate experience working in the financial sector. Following this, she retrained as a teacher. After nearly 15 years in education, during which time she led a variety of fundraising initiatives for local charities, she felt ready for a new challenge and became European Fundraising Innovation Consultant for hjc. Over the last few years she has lead projects both in Europe and in Latin America. She is particularly interested in Legacy giving and has worked with organizations worldwide to help them discover hundreds of legacy gifts and to uncover real legacy and major gift potential within their donor bases.

Francis Lim

Francis Lim came from a creative career in the retail industry. With his keen interest in the web, and combining his training in New Media Design and prior design experience, he joined hjc as a junior designer. Over the years he has tapped into his creative instinct and technical skills to help translate many clients’ visions into user-centered, successful campaigns.

He’s also a Convio authorized developer in the Convio Solution Provider (CSP) certification program. His inquiring mind and creativities enable him to be effective in web development, especially in customizing solutions in the Convio platform. Francis now work out of our Vancouver office.

Daniel Abercrombie

As design and creative manager, Daniel specializes in executing all creative aspects of a campaign, from concept and mock-ups to final production.

Daniel has been a designing exclusively for non-profits for over 7 years. He creates designs that are not only aesthetically pleasing, but functional with best practices in usability.

Josh Skinner

Josh graduated from Centennial College with the Deans Award for Innovation in Graphic Design Media. He has design experience in the Ad Agency world, but has always believed that good design has a responsibility to do more than just sell a product. This belief lays the foundation for the work Josh does for clients at hjc. With his unique perspective of design, Josh works to incorporate the more human characteristics into design to create an emotional connection with the viewer, blending modern design with fundraising.

Mark McGrath

Since receiving his Bachelor of Commerce in Entrepreneurship & Innovation from Ryerson University, Mark’s focus has been helping businesses and non-profit organizations of all sizes succeed online. His passion for non-profits led him to hjc where he uses his extensive technology, strategy and marketing experience as an online marketing and social media specialist. Mark’s unique skillset enables him to plan, manage and optimize extremely effective online marketing campaigns for a wide variety of causes.

Scott Brown

After completing a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management at Georgian College, Scott worked with global financial companies and online organizations. His desire to work with forward thinking organizations that make a difference in the world lead Scott to hjc, where he helps nonprofits connect with the best resources to achieve fundraising excellence. Scott’s favourite part about working at hjc is meeting new people, learning about their organizations’ goals and challenges, and working together on a plan for success.