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Marketing and fundraising director, Oxfam, Auckland

"Your job must be difficult," is what most people say when they hear Joan Buchanan is a fundraiser.

Buchanan says the "fundraising is the business of creating generosity - which actually isn't difficult. People naturally feel good when being generous."

Her fundraising career spans almost two decades.

Dedicated to making a difference in people's lives and working for a more caring and equitable world, her work for Oxfam provides a great opportunity for her to draw on her diverse experience in both Canada and New Zealand.

"The work Oxfam does, supporting the efforts of poor communities worldwide to overcome poverty and injustice, is inspiring," says Buchanan. "I'm joining the organisation at an exciting time of growth."

Born in Canada, Buchanan studied political science at Laurentian University, Ontario and undertook a fundraising management programme at Algonquin College, Ottawa in the early 80s.

Buchanan's career of working for mainly not-for-profit organisations has involved many "steep learning curves".

But she has continually built on her past experiences and formal education.

In Canada, Buchanan worked, among other jobs, as a capital campaign co-ordinator for The People's Place in Vernon, British Columbia, as a resource development co-ordinator for the Canadian Mental Health Association, and as a residential counsellor for homeless women.

In the late 90s, she worked as the fundraising and public relations co-ordinator for Christian World Service, based in Christchurch.

In this role she managed the Christmas appeal, emergency appeals and regular direct mail campaigns.

Buchanan also project-managed the successful support of the Wellington City Council for Te Papa.

Following this she spent two years with St John Central Region, Palmerston North, co-ordinating the fundraising effort for 34 local area committees in five districts, from Hawkes Bay to Taranaki and down to Wellington, raising $500,000 for emergency equipment in one fiscal year.