Leadership

Chief Executive Officer

Shannon Turner is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Maria Lida Foundation. She is the granddaughter of Maria Lida and created the Foundation to use her education to honor her grandmother and give back to her family’s roots.

Shannon received her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Psychology from the University of Michigan. After graduation, she worked for six years in the legal field for the U.S. Department of Justice, and in that role obtained extensive experience collaborating with indigenous populations. She recently received her Master of Business Administration degree from the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis, where she focused her studies in Entrepreneurship and Marketing. Shannon speaks English and Spanish.

“My passion is to help people in Ecuador and Latin America to escape the poverty many of them face. I have always felt a deep connection with Latin America and want to use the education that I have been blessed to attain to help underserved populations in this region of the world.”

President, Board of Directors

Patrick O’Neill is the President of Maria Lida Foundation’s Board of Directors. He is Maria Lida’s son and native to Alausí, Ecuador. Patrick received his Bachelor’s Degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, and his Juris Doctorate degree from Wayne State University. He is a licensed attorney in the State of Michigan, and has over 30 years of experience starting, owning, and operating small businesses in the United States. Patrick is fluent in English and Spanish.  

“I wanted to serve as the President of Maria Lida Foundation’s Board because it was a wonderful opportunity to honor the memory of my mother by helping her hometown in some meaningful way.”

Board of Directors

The Maria Lida Foundation has a Board of Directors with valuable knowledge and experience in areas including nonprofit governance, Latin American tourism, academia, business management, and economic development. The Board of Directors is committed to helping the Foundation achieve its mission and vision.

                                                                              President

                                                                              Patrick O’Neill

                                                                              Vice President

                                                                              Amy Marshall

                                                                              Treasurer

                                                                              Bard Mansager

                                                                              Board Members 

                                                                              Hillary Anger Elfenbein

                                                                              Sarah Hogberg Navarro

                                                                              Elise Hastings

                                                                              Trip Smith