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.