SAINT JOHN PAUL II
ACADEMY

Lawrence is a fundraising professional with two decades of diverse and extensive experience in the not for profit and charitable sectors, most recently as the President & CEO of the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba from July 2012 to February 2018. His most significant achievement in this position was successfully building and leading a team of professionals and exceeding all targets established under a five-year strategic plan for the Foundation incorporating annual giving, planned giving, monthly giving, major gifts, and special events. His background also includes key roles in capital campaigns, major gifts, and communications for other not for profit organizations, including being the Director of Development at St. Mary’s Academy, a private grades 7-12 Catholic girls school in Winnipeg, Manitoba where he established the foundation office, oversaw a successful capital campaign and introduced a comprehensive fundraising programme during the period of 1999-2005. For two years, Lawrence was also the Director of Major Gifts at St. Boniface General Hospital Foundation, a Catholic owned tertiary hospital. He presently is an independent consultant advising clients on innovative and cutting-edge practices to achieve optimum fundraising results. To date, Lawrence has been responsible for raising over $70 million for various charitable organizations.

He has held various positions in both federal and provincial politics including acting as a consultant to the Minister of Health, Province of Manitoba; Special Assistant to the Minister of Tourism for the Government of Canada; and earlier in his career as Chief of Staff, Ministers’ Regional Office (Manitoba) , Government of Canada. His significant and well recognized strategic and communication skills have led to success briefings for federal and provincial Ministers as well as corporate and not for profit executives on a range of complex issues.

He has a Bachelor of Arts Degree and an Education Certificate from the Faculty of Education, University of Manitoba. Lawrence also holds a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) designation, Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), and a Fundraising Management Certificate from the Association of Healthcare Professionals (AHP), University of Madison in Madison, Wisconsin.

Lawrence is an active supporter in the community particularly in the areas of arts and culture with ongoing roles as a Board Member and Chair, Nominating and Governance Committee and Member of the Fundraising Committee, Heritage Winnipeg; Board Member and Chair, Nominating and Governance Committee of CJNU Radio, and Advisory Council Member for the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre.