The Art of Collaborative Leadership: Lessons From Canadian Co-Chairs

In this episode of Rising Voices of Fundraising: The AFP Emerging Leaders Podcast, we sit down with Amanda Fritz, CFRE, MPNL and Muneeb Syed, CFRE, the first-ever co-chairs of the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy – Canada. Amanda and Muneeb reflect on stepping into a role with no precedent, from building their own playbook to navigating moments of self-doubt along the way. They share candid lessons on collaboration — knowing when to lead versus step back, communicating through disagreement, and what a true peer partnership can teach that traditional mentorship can't.   Guests: Muneeb Syed, CFRE: Muneeb has been serving on the board of AFP Foundation for Philanthropy – Canada since 2021 and currently he Co-Chairs the board with Amanda Fritz. His educational background is in Marketing, Public Policy, and Management, and he attained his CFRE designation in 2015. Muneeb was also among the inaugural cohort of AFP Foundation for Philanthropy – Canada’s Inclusion and Philanthropy Fellowship program. Muneeb has over seventeen years of progressive experience in front-line and leadership positions. After starting his career in fundraising for the international development sector with UNICEF Canada, Muneeb transitioned into advancement for the post-secondary education sector with Toronto Metropolitan University and, his alma mater, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies at York University. He joined the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies as their Advancement lead in 2022 to provide leadership and advice on adapting advancement best practices for open-enrollment, lifelong learning, and workforce development-related upskilling programs. Under his leadership, the division recently secured their largest gift of $1.88M, which is also the second-largest gift ever received by a Canadian university for an upskilling program. As a part of University of Toronto’s Defy Gravity campaign, Muneeb is currently leading one of the largest fundraising and community engagement efforts for continuing education programs on behalf of his division and the University of Toronto in Canadian history.   Amanda Fritz, CFRE, MPNL: Amanda Fritz is a fundraising matchmaker! Her passion is to connect philanthropically-minded people with the high-impact projects and ideas that will truly make a difference in the world. Amanda was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec and completed degrees in Psychology and Public Relations at McGill University. In 2013 she earned her Certified Fund Raising Executive accreditation (CFRE), becoming one of the youngest CFRE professionals in Quebec. In 2020, Amanda obtained her Masters in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership from Carleton University.  Amanda’s 17-year career in the non-profit sector spans education, health, and community. She is passionate about leveraging data and modernizing the way our field’s professionals approach major giving, capital campaigns, and volunteer management. In her current role as Director of Major Giving and Campaign Tracking for CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation, Amanda works with organizational leadership and top volunteers to put in place the strategies and tools needed to secure $500M in new philanthropic investments for the institution – the most ambitious campaign ever undertaken by a healthcare institution in Quebec. In addition to her role as Co-Chair of the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy - Canada, Amanda proudly serves on the Board of Directors of Champions for Life and Como Golf Club. In 2018, the Governor General awarded Amanda the Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers for her service to youth education.  Hosts:  Jarrod Williams, MBLI, CFRE, is a courageous, strategic, and results-oriented fundraising leader with over a decade of experience driving revenue growth, donor engagement, and organizational visibility. He is committed to building cultures of philanthropy within mission-driven organizations and brings a proven track record across major gifts, annual giving, corporate sponsorships, event strategy, and data-informed decision-making within both arts and social justice and organizations. He serves as a Client Experience Leader for Veritus Group, where he educates and coaches fundraisers across the country on innovative mid-level and major gift strategies. In this role, he partners with organizations nationwide to strengthen donor pipelines, elevate fundraising performance, and build sustainable revenue models. Jarrod has been recognized for his leadership and influence and remains actively engaged in advancing the fundraising profession. He serves on the AFP Global Emerging Leaders Committee and the AFP LEAD Education Committee, supporting the development of the next generation of fundraising professionals. In 2020, he was named a Top 30 Under 30 Young Professional by 101.1 The Wiz in Cincinnati. He is also a gr