Our Team
Administrative Team
Finance and Administration
As one of Manna Project's founders, Lori has been a vital part of the MPI team since graduating from Vanderbilt University in 2004 with degrees in Psychology and Elementary Education. Lori's involvement began when she helped charter the organization in January of 2004. In September 2004, Lori and 9 others journeyed to Nicaragua where they founded MPI's first international site. Lori taught preschool and designed and implemented the first art and literacy programs. Lori acted as the Nicaragua Country Director before creating and stepping into the role of Executive Director. Lori served as the Executive Director until 2016 when she stepped down to focus on her family. She continues to be involved with Manna Project as the Financial Manager and as a board member. She lives in Orlando, Florida with her husband and two sons.
Communications + Institutional Relations Manager
Abby comes to Manna from a background in experiential education focused on meaningful, symbiotic cultural exchange internationally. Most recently, she developed and ran community development projects in rural Costa Rica. Abby is a Linguist by education and is interested in social understanding and biases derived from language. Currently, Abby lives in Costa Rica with her cat.
Ecuador Team
Country Director
Tony joined Manna’s team in June 2025, bringing over 30 years of leadership in nonprofit management, economic development, and humanitarian work. Born in Honduras, Tony is a bilingual (English/Spanish) executive with extensive experience in Latin America and the U.S., and has led national and international organizations focused on public health, education, child welfare, and immigrant rights. He previously served as CEO of multiple nonprofits, a Program Officer at the Arizona Community Foundation, and as Honorary Consul of Honduras, where he coordinated major humanitarian efforts for migrant families. Most recently, Tony served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Colombia, supporting youth entrepreneurship and women-led businesses. He holds a Master’s in Public Administration and a B.S. in Management from Arizona State University and is trained in Collective Impact, Servant Leadership, and Outcomes Measurement. Passionate about community empowerment, Tony leads Manna’s work in Ecuador with vision, cultural humility, and a deep commitment to justice.
Site Manager
Mirka joined Manna’s team in March 2025 as our Shandia Site Manager. Originally from Quito and now based in Tena, she holds a degree in Ecosystem Engineering from Ikiam University and brings deep experience in cross-cultural program design, environmental education, and community-based tourism. Before joining Manna, she worked as Program Specialist for Amazon Learning, where she developed and managed immersive learning programs for international interns and Amazonian communities, and most recently served as an environmental and experiential educator in the Galápagos Islands. Mirka has also collaborated with the Pacific Whale Foundation, conducted biodiversity research with Ikiam University, and supported sustainable development efforts through both local and international partnerships. She is fluent in Spanish and English (C1), and passionate about empowering communities through conservation, education, and meaningful cultural exchange. She is excited to support both volunteers and local leaders in building a more sustainable future together.
Program Director
Diana grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and graduated from the University of South Carolina in May 2025, where she studied biology, public health, and Spanish. She joined Manna in August 2025 and will be focusing on women’s and children’s health programs. She has traveled broadly across North/Latin America and Europe and is really looking forward to being completely immersed in Ecuadorian culture for one year. She loves reading, hiking, running, and embroidering in her free time.
Program Director
Joel studied international relations at the University of Maryland in College Park, and worked in food assistance and social services for a year before coming to Shandia. He is a Program Director working mainly in sustainable development and public health, and is looking forward to learning more about community development in Shandia and throughout Ecuador.
Program Director
Denise joined Manna’s team as a Program Director in September 2025. She graduated in 2024 with Bachelors in International Relations from IE University in Madrid, Spain. Originally from New York, she has spent the past five years studying and working in global development across Spain, Colombia, and the United States. Her experience includes non-profit and NGO work focused on economic empowerment, youth education, and migrant support. She looks forward to working and learning even more in the community of Shandia and Ecuador as a whole.
Global Strategy, Paypal
Annie first got involved with MPI as a sophomore at Vanderbilt University and served as the VP of Global Programs for MPI's Vanderbilt campus chapter her senior year. Annie recently moved to San Francisco to join PayPal’s Global Strategy Team. Previously, she worked as a consultant with McKinsey & Company, focusing primarily on financial inclusion by offering formal financial services to low-income families. She lived in Bogotá, Colombia for a year doing research on the same. Annie has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Spanish from Vanderbilt University.
Co-Founder, Manna Project International
As one of Manna Project's founders, Lori has been a vital part of the MPI team since graduating from Vanderbilt University in 2004 with degrees in Psychology and Elementary Education. Lori's involvement began when she helped charter the organization in January of 2004. In September 2004, Lori and 9 others journeyed to Nicaragua where they founded MPI's first international site. Lori taught preschool and designed and implemented the first art and literacy programs. Lori acted as the Nicaragua Country Director before stepping into the role of Executive Director. She now serves on the Board and lives in Orlando, Florida with her family.
COO & Co-Founder, Satoshi Energy
Brock joined MPI’s Board in January 2020. He first connected with Manna as a Program Director in Ecuador in 2010 after earning his BE in Civil Engineering from Vanderbilt University. He later completed an MS in Civil Engineering at Stanford University and went on to co-found Satoshi Energy, where he now serves as COO, focused on advancing energy innovation through bitcoin and artificial intelligence.
Head of Network Solutions, Wayspring; Co-Founder, Manna Project International
Troy was a founding Board member for MPI, helping to charter the organization, establish the Nicaragua site, and manage finances in the first five years. He studied economics at Vanderbilt and development economics at the Tufts Fletcher School. His career has been focused in healthcare and management consulting. He is currently dedicated to meeting behavioral health needs for low-income populations, working to understand care models and health outcomes in addiction treatment. Based in Nashville, TN, Troy rejoined the Board in 2025 to reconnect with the MPI mission and community.
Sarah served as the Country Director for MPI in Shandia, Ecuador for two years, leading programs focused on community-centered development, volunteer management, and sustainable partnerships. She is excited to continue her commitment to MPI’s mission by serving on the Board of Directors and supporting the organization’s continued growth and impact.
Sarah holds a Master’s degree in Conflict Transformation and Sustainable Development. She served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala, working in community development—a formative experience that deepened her passion for inclusive, locally driven change. With a career dedicated to nonprofit management, leadership development, and training, Sarah brings extensive experience in building strong teams and fostering cross-cultural collaboration. She is grateful to remain connected to the communities and partners in Ecuador and looks forward to helping MPI expand its reach and deepen its community-driven initiatives.
Epidemiologist
Ayzsa joined MPI’s Board in September 2025. She first worked with Manna as a Program Director in Ecuador in 2016 after graduating with her BA in Medicine, Health, & Society and Spanish & Portuguese from Vanderbilt University. After Ecuador, she attended Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine where she received her MPH, concentrating in Epidemiology and Maternal & Child Health. She now works as an Epidemiologist focusing on acute respiratory infections in the pediatric population.
Senior Programs and Strategic Partnerships Manager at the UCSD Center on Gender Equity and Health
Hunter joined Manna Project International’s Board in June 2025 but first connected with the organization in 2016, serving as a Program Director and later Senior Program Director and Volunteer Coordinator for two years at the Sangolquí site in Ecuador.
She is a globally minded program manager and researcher passionate about advancing gender equity, health, and community-driven development. At the University of California, San Diego’s Center on Gender Equity and Health, Hunter manages international projects that strengthen agency and transform social norms through applied research and collaboration.
Hunter holds an MPH in Health Behavior from the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and a BS in Health and Exercise Science from Wake Forest University. Her research spans social norms, chronic disease, and health behavior change across Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa.
She has a deep love for Ecuador, where she met her husband and adopted her dog, ChoCho!
Co-Founder & Chief Innovation Officer, Maia Women’s Health, Founder & Nurse Practitioner, Encompass Care, Harvard (MPA), Penn Nursing (BSN, MSN)
Natalie is a Nicaragua Program Director alum (2014–2015) and board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner based in Denver. She founded Encompass Care, an integrative primary care practice focused on women's health and whole-person care, and recently co-founded Maia Women's Health — a women-centered healthcare ecosystem blending a flagship clinic with a personalized digital platform to make care less fragmented and more human. Both ventures are incubated at the Harvard Innovation Labs.
Natalie holds a Master of Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School and completed her clinical training at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. Her blend of frontline clinical work, health policy, and systems thinking makes her a thoughtful and passionate advocate for the communities MPI serves.
Executive Director
Dana’s interest in nonprofit work was sparked while pursuing her B.A. in International Development at Clark University, where she had the opportunity to intern at various nonprofit organizations including Habitat for Humanity and Lutheran Social Services of New England. She first joined MPI Nicaragua in 2014 as a Program Director after receiving her M.A. in Community Development & Planning. During her first year in Nicaragua, she fell in love with the communities that MPI serves and was impressed by the organization’s holistic and sustainable approach to development. After a year of working in MPI's educational and business development programs, Dana decided to extend her contract to work with MPI as a Senior Program Director for two more years before joining staff as the Assistant Country Director for MPI Nicaragua. After the Nicaragua site unfortunately had to close in 2018, Dana transitioned to a Development Manager role, and then became the Development Director in Fall 2022. In 2023 she started as the Executive Director and is thrilled at the opportunity to continue to be a part of the Manna Project team! She lives in Hawaii with her husband and two children.