Principal and Founder Keenfit Middle East

Tel: 050-559-7137
Email: keenfit.dubai@gmail.com

Joanna MacDonald, principal and founder of Keenfit Middle East, is a 25-year corporate communications professional with a passion for health and well-being. She began her career in communications at Campbell’s Soup Company in Toronto, Canada where she managed the marketing campaign for V-8 Juice. She then continued to round out her skills throughout the 80s as she worked in the exhibition industry managing special events and promotions for Fortune 500 companies such as Toshiba and NEC during the IT boom and also coordinated logistics for the first G-7 Summit in Canada.

As her career progressed she worked toward having all areas of communications covered with the ultimate goal of starting her own company. She moved from Canada to Hong Kong in 1994 where she became involved in investment banking, first working for Swiss Bank Corp and then as VP of corporate communications at Barclays Bank. She was integral in establishing the first communications group in Hong Kong with a strong focus on media relations as the country was preparing for the handover from Britain and the banks were combating the misperception that all foreign banks were about to leave. She oversaw a successful international media campaign that got out the critical message worldwide that the foreign banks would be staying.

In 2004, Joanna and her family moved to Dubai where she has done contract corporate communications for Barclays Bank and was head of corporate affairs and investor relations for HSBC and Dubai International Capitol. As she became more involved in the business side of Dubai and embraced the culture she began contemplating how to combine her professional expertise with her passion for health and well-being. As a marathon runner she spent time in Safa Park, watching people from all walks of life using the park but never intermingling. Around the same time her friends in Kelowna, British Columbia who had started a company selling walking poles suggested she give it a try in Dubai both personally (as she was suffering from knee injuries and could no longer run) and professionally (a perfect entrepreneurial project that supported her holistic approach to life).

Starting with 25 sets of poles (12 for demos) Joanna started conducting free clinics in Safa Park and at the beach teaching the two The concept was first started this year after the New York marathon where 9,800 trainers were donated at the finish line. The athletes no longer needed them but the shoes kept on running to Africa where they transformed the lives of many. Last month Shoe4Africa started collecting Trainers we know to date have collected 7000 pairs of Shoes amazing in such a short timeKeenfit pole-walking techniques and establishing walking clubs early in 2007. The grounds well began, poles were selling well and she officially launched Keenfit Middle East in early 2008 with a mission to “inform, inspire, empower & support people to become accountable for themselves so they can find balance, live in peace and walk as their true self.”

Joanna’s recent philanthropic endeavors have been with a foundation called Shoe 4 Africa, collecting used running shoes. Shoe4Africa aims to put shoes on as many people in the Kibera Kenya as possible.

The concept was first started this year after the New York marathon where 9,800 trainers were donated at the finish line. The athletes no longer needed them but the shoes kept on running to Africa where they transformed the lives of many. Last month Shoe4Africa started collecting Trainers we to date the foundation have collected 7000 pairs of Shoes amazing! accomplishment in such a short time.

Joanna was born in England and moved to Canada when she was 7 years old. She is married to Gordon, an Emirates pilot, and has two children, Nicholas and Emma. At college in Ontario, Canada, she studied retail marketing and business administration and currently she is studying to be a Reiki master and has recently completed certification in reflexology with the Academy of Universal Health and Healing. Joanna is a Swim Coach coaching the Varsity Team at The American School of Dubai ASD.