Josephine Roberts

After immigrating to America from the Philippines at the age of 3, Josephine’s family spent summers on Lake Charlevoix in the small town of East Jordan, Michigan. This is where her family ultimately became full-time residents while she was in high school. Josephine’s childhood experiences on the lake and love for her small town are best reflected in her senior high school quote that reads, “I hope to give back to the East Jordan community all it has given to me.” Josephine, was an Honors Program student at DePaul University in Chicago until her family became early casualties of the Great Recession. Adapting quickly to unfortunate circumstances, she moved to Detroit where her older sister attended art school and together, had the ability to consolidate and maximize financial resources. Josephine completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology at Wayne State University. In the pre-“New Detroit”-era, Josephine’s post-college job search during a time when the whole country was upturned by a failing economy, was a time she describes as the most character-building and gritty – a time when she persevered and now wears as a badge of honor. Josephine worked in various nonprofit capacities for over a decade while in Detroit. Post-recession, she found success as a grant writer doing most fulfilling work with small and struggling nonprofits as well as working with notable organizations like the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy on broad-reaching projects. In her last post in Detroit, she served as the Director of Development, Marketing and Outreach for University Prep Schools, a nonprofit charter school consortium tied to the Thompson Educational Foundation where she led several departments in addition to her title including, teacher recruitment and retention, parent outreach and student enrollment. From urban education to small-town conservation. Josephine found her way back North in 2017, joining the Walloon Lake Association and Conservancy as their Executive Director. Leading a small but mighty team with the mission to conserve and protect one of Michigan’s most beautiful and storied inland lakes for future generations has aligned well with Josephine’s wish to ensure that other children like her, have the opportunities to experience great childhood memories “on the lake.” Josephine spends her free time mentoring aspiring female professionals and is a regular guest speaker at Depaul University’s School of Nonprofit Management. She is proud of her board service as a Trustee of Camp Daggett, the Boyne Area Chamber of Commerce and Walloon Junior Sailors – connecting local students to the lifelong skill of sailing. Josephine and her husband, Justin, have many interests that include being on the water and in the woods, antiquing and eating their way through the world. They have young sons who are wild little outdoorsmen.

Good food, conservation, BIPOC + female leadership, philanthropy, paddle boarding, antiques, laughing out loud

Radical philanthropy

Color matching