The Executive Director of Advancement offers comprehensive leadership to the overall Advancement team and oversees all advancement initiatives that engage the University’s alumni, donors and friends, and supports the broader University community and its affiliates, in alignment with the Advancing Melbourne 2030 strategy.
Joanna Watts joined Advancement at the University of Melbourne in 2017 to lead the Advancement Operations team. In 2023, she was appointed Executive Director of Advancement within the newly created Advancement, Communications and Marketing (ACM) portfolio.
Joanna brings nearly 30 years of experience in the higher education sector, with the last fifteen years dedicated to Advancement. Before she started at the University of Melbourne, Joanna held positions at La Trobe University and the University of Birmingham, where she contributed to academic services, faculty management, strategic development, and alumni and advancement.