Our Team

Administrative Team

Featured

Dana Hanley

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, providing support for fundraising and recruitment efforts as well as continuing to provide administrative support on the ground. She became the Development Director in Fall 2022, and is thrilled at the opportunity to continue to be a part of the Manna Project team! She lives in Nicaragua with her husband and two children.

Lori Scharffenberg

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.

Abby Pauley

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

Featured

Sarah Thorwirth

Country Director

Sarah brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to her role. With a Master's degree in Conflict Transformation and Sustainable Development and a background in program management, training and as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala, Sarah is dedicated to making a positive impact in Latin America. Her diverse skill set and unwavering commitment now drive her to humbly support and guide the next generation of changemaker volunteers in grassroots community development. Sarah's passion for fostering sustainable change is matched by her personal life. She is joined on this journey by her two wonderful sons and her supportive husband, who collectively inspire and motivate her in her mission.

Maria Jose Tapia Cartagena

Administrative Coordinator

Maria Jose joined Manna’s team in May of 2023 as we launched our new site in Shandia. She is from Ecuador and has a degree in business as well as a passion for learning English. She recently got her B1 certificate and hopes to her B2 certificate this year. She has over 8 years of experience working with foreign volunteers in Ecuador and supporting the communities in Napo Province through social projects. She is excited to be part of the Manna family and hopes to help make a positive impact in the Shandia community!

Isabella Cortes

Program Director

Patrick Maluwa

Program Director

Patrick joined Manna in January 2024. Hailing from Malawi, he recently completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Gender and Development Studies at the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources. His strong desire to make a positive impact has driven him to various campaigns, conferences, and initiatives that address pressing social issues such as gender violence and youth engagement. Beyond his professional pursuits, he is excited to learn Spanish, have new experiences, and learn about a new culture.

Crystal Njoroge

Program Director

Crystal joined the on-site Manna team in September 2024. She is from Des Moines, Iowa in the United States. Crystal recently graduated from the University of Iowa in May with a degree in Microbiology and a minor in Spanish. She is currently applying to medical school and plans to matriculate in the fall of 2025. During her time at the University of Iowa, Crystal spent two weeks in Costa Rica and Panama teaching English with a local youth language and culture studies program. Her interests consist of swimming, thrifting, and traveling to new places! She is beyond excited to invest her time and efforts into the community in Shandia and to support Manna programs!

Luke Simcox

Program Director

Luke comes from Dubuque, Iowa, in the United States. He joined Manna in August 2024. He is a recent graduate from St. Olaf College, where he studied political science, international relations, and race and ethnic studies. While in college, he spent a semester studying abroad in Seville, Spain. In his free time, Luke enjoys running, swimming, watching TV, and doing puzzles. He is excited to teach English to Shandia youth, improve his Spanish, learn some Kichwa, and try new Ecuadorian foods.

Dahlia Broberg

Program Coordinator, Spring 2025

Dahlia joined Manna in January 2025. She is from Berwyn, Pennsylvania, and is currently a student at Northeastern University, working toward a Bachelor's degree in international business, with a minor in economics and a concentration in finance. Dahlia is passionate about sustainable development and hopes to leverage her degree to drive impactful solutions in global markets, contributing to a more sustainable future. She first fell in love with Latin America when visiting Panama and Colombia in middle school, and she is thrilled to be back in the region. In her free time, Dahlia loves to sing, paint, read, and travel. She is excited to integrate into the Shandia community, practice her Spanish, and work with Manna!

Mary Dimyan

Program Coordinator, Spring 2025

Mary joined Manna Project International in January 2025. Originally from New York City, she is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental and Sustainability Sciences at Northeastern University, with a minor in International Affairs. She is eager to apply her background in environmental research and experience working with children to her time in Ecuador. In her free time, Mary enjoys hiking, working on creative projects, improving her Spanish, and immersing herself in the local culture. She looks forward to helping MPI foster long-term impact while gaining hands-on experience in sustainable development.

Heidi Ho

Program Coordinator, Spring 2025

Heidi Ho excitedly comes to Manna as a co-op student from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, where she is majoring in public health and journalism and minoring in Spanish for healthcare. Originally from Mcallen, Texas, she is the public health program coordinator for MPI and hopes to improve her Spanish during her time in Ecuador. In her free time, she likes trying new food, dancing and playing the piano.

Leo Saunders

Program Coordinator, Spring 2025

Leo Saunders, a gap year student from San Francisco, California, is set to matriculate at Colorado College next year. During this year of non-traditional learning, he seeks to gain meaningful experience in service, ecology, and non-profit administration. In his free time, Leo enjoys reading, running, and photography—a skill he is actively developing. Leo looks forward to connecting with the community in Shandia, learning Kichwa, and gaining valuable insights into ways of life different from his own.

Josue Arcos

Virtual Intern

Josue is from Puyo, Ecuador, and joined Manna in 2024. He grew up taking English classes with Manna in Sangolquí, which sparked his passion for languages. He recently graduated from St. John Bosco High School in Los Angeles and he wants to study physics, with a focus on quantum gravity, in Europe. Josue speaks English, French, and German as well as Latin and Italian, and enjoys running, reading literature, and exploring new languages.

He is excited to give back to the organization that first inspired him and to gain nonprofit experience supporting community projects.

Linda Hollmann

Virtual Program Coordinator

From January through March of 2024, Linda joined the MPI on-site team in Shandia as Program Coordinator while taking a sabbatical from her work in BI strategy. During that time, amongst other activities, she initiated MPI’s first Ecotourism program. This initiative aims to co-create with the local community an even more sustainable and diverse touristic structure. Now back in her home country of Germany, Linda continues to volunteer in her spare time with MPI. This way, she aims to work with the people of Shandia to further foster an economically, ecologically and socially sustainable and thriving community.

Board of Directors

Featured

Annie Freyman, Board Chair

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.

Lori Scharffenberg, Secretary

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.

Taylor Brown

Frontier Consulting, Owner

Taylor first got involved with Manna Project in 2009 as a summer intern in Ecuador. She later became a Program Director and Recruitment Coordinator for Manna, working in Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. She now owns a management consulting firm, Frontier Consulting, with Adam Grey, which focuses on developing bespoke business strategies for clients in the industrial, tech, and healthcare sectors. She has an MPP in development policy from the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin, Germany and an MA in International Business from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University in New York.

Alaina Merrill

Co-founder and Strategic Communications Advisor, Paddle Consulting

Alaina first became involved with Manna as a student at Vanderbilt University. She volunteered with MPI in Ecuador and Nicaragua her sophomore and junior years and served as the VP of Fundraising & Development for MPI’s Vanderbilt Chapter her senior year. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish, Economics and Corporate Strategy, Alaina moved to Madrid, Spain, to teach English in a primary school for 2 years before moving to NYC to begin her career in strategic communications. She currently lives in Denver, CO, where she is co-founder and a strategic communications advisor at Paddle Consulting. She is also co-founder and director of marketing & communications for RISE Zambia, a scholarship fund for aspiring healthcare professionals in rural Zambia. Her commitment to providing education and opportunity to deserving communities brought her back to MPI to join the board in 2019.

Brock Peterson

Brock joined MPI's Board in January 2020. He served as a Program Director for one year with Manna in Ecuador.

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