Blog

ECHO Welcomes Board Members Marantha Edwards, Paula Harper, Dave Snyder

Leesburg, VA – The Board of Directors of ECHO announced the appointment of Marantha Edwards, Paula Harper and Dave Snyder as members of the Board of Directors, effective immediately.

Mrs. Marantha Edwards is the former Economic Development Director for the Town of Leesburg, having retired in January after an almost 18-year career with the Town. Mrs. Edwards created and implemented strategic planning efforts for departments, town commissions, committees and partner organizations that resulted in significant improvements in programs and ultimate outcomes. She has over thirty years of experience in marketing, sales, investor relations and customer service. Before joining the Town of Leesburg Mrs. Edwards worked for Loudoun County Public Schools as a media assistant at Evergreen Mill Elementary School; was self-employed as a marketing and customer service consultant, and; worked in the airline industry. Mrs. Edwards is a graduate of Leadership Loudoun. She graduated from Broad Run High School and holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from James Madison University. She has been a town resident since 1969, and she and her husband Leon have two grown children, Ethan and Noel McLister. Mrs. Edwards comments, “I look forward to participating in an organization that empowers people’s lives and brings the community together.”

Mrs. Paula Harper has worked in higher education administration for more than twenty years, most recently as the Executive Director of Program Development and Management at the George Washington University’s Virginia Science & Technology Campus in Ashburn. In this role she served as a member of the senior management team working with the Dean, faculty and senior leadership in strategic planning and identifying on-going academic, research, and community engagement programs to serve the Northern Virginia region and the Commonwealth of Virginia. She was the founder and Co-Director of the GW Teachers in Industry Project, an industry-education partnership including more than a dozen regional business leaders and several school districts, which served middle school and high school core content teachers in Northern Virginia. She led numerous educational outreach, program development, and workforce development efforts with Loudoun County Public Schools and Northern Virginia Community College.

Mrs. Harper actively participates in regional economic development as an appointed representative to the Loudoun County Economic Development Advisory Commission. She was a member of the LCPS School Business Partnership Executive Committee and a participant in Leadership Loudoun. Mrs. Harper received a BA in Economics from the University of California, San Diego and resides in Loudoun County with her husband and two children.

Mr. Dave Snyder is a 7th Grade Science teacher at Blue Ridge Middle School. Through the years he has also taught at Douglass School and Sterling Middle School. An opportunity to work in Loudoun County Public Schools brought him to Leesburg in 1991, when he started working, and a year later he became a resident of Loudoun. He has a Master’s Degree in Education and is certified to teach special education as well. In 1994 Mr. Snyder became a Realtor. Since then, he continues to help friends and colleagues with buying and/or selling their homes. He is actively involved in his church, is a member of the Virginia Herpetological Society and also enjoys running, biking, swimming and exercising in any way he can. Mr. Snyder lives with his wife Caroline and three daughters in Purcellville. Dave has been aware of ECHO’s contribution to residents of Loudoun since he moved to Leesburg 25 years ago and is excited to serve on the Board of Directors for an organization that makes such a positive difference peoples’ lives.

“Maranatha, Paula, and Dave are an amazing addition to an already exceptional Board of Directors. Their personalities, work ethic and community connections will assist ECHO in achieving the mission of empowering individuals with disabilities”, said Laurraine Landolt, Chair of ECHO’s Board Development Committee and a member of the Board.

“ECHO is extremely fortunate to have Marantha, Paula and Dave join our Board. Each of them brings deep experiences and expertise to our Board and ECHO is very grateful for their willingness to help ECHO’s mission”, added Paul Donohue, Jr., Chief Executive Officer of ECHO. “We have a lot on our plate and their service will be instrumental to our success.”