Marianne Steele

Marianne Steele joined The Donkey Sanctuary as Director of Fundraising and Communications in 2010, following a long and varied career within the charity sector. Appointed Deputy Chief Executive in 2017 and Acting Chief Executive Officer in 2021, her tenure has seen the charity enjoy unprecedented growth in income generation, visitor engagement and public awareness about the importance of donkeys to vulnerable communities around the world.

Marianne’s motivation lies in a personal mission to change the perception of donkeys and the role they play in the world; animals she believes are deeply intelligent and sentient creatures that are underestimated by so many.

Prior to The Donkey Sanctuary, Marianne has worked within the not-for-profit sector for more than 25 years for causes including Arts and Heritage, and Health and Environmental, specialising particularly in fundraising, communications and development.