BLOOMFIELD, N.J. - s4story -- Mary's Meals USA announced today leadership appointments that will help guide the organization into its next chapter of growth, strengthening its efforts to engage supporters across the United States and expand awareness of its mission to provide nutritious school meals to children living in some of the world's poorest communities.

Jennifer Hartley serves as President and Executive Director of Mary's Meals USA, while Mark Menking has been appointed Chairperson of the Mary's Meals USA Board and Andy Armanino will serve as Vice Chairperson. Together, these leaders bring experience across business, philanthropy, governance and community engagement to support Mary's Meals USA's continued growth and its mission to ensure children have access to a daily meal in a place of education.

The U.S. leadership appointments come amid a broader leadership transition across the global Mary's Meals movement. On October 14, Mary's Meals International announced the appointment of Andy Griffiths as its new Executive Director, a newly created role designed to strengthen the international organization for the future. Founder and current CEO Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow will transition to President and Founder, allowing him to focus on raising awareness, strategic initiatives and the continued development of the movement's values and culture. Griffiths will lead Mary's Meals International as the movement approaches its 25th anniversary in 2027 and works toward reaching more children facing extreme hunger.

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"With 79 million children around the world going hungry each day, Mary's Meals is committed to reaching children waiting for a meal in their place of education. I'm incredibly grateful for the leadership, expertise and support Mark and Andy will bring to me and our team. Their guidance will be invaluable as we work together to expand our impact in the United States and help ensure more children receive the daily meal they need to learn and thrive."

Hartley brings decades of Fortune 500 leadership experience and a deep commitment to servant leadership and faith in action to her role. A lifelong Catholic from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Hartley first became involved with Mary's Meals as a volunteer, helping establish the organization in her local community and building relationships with parishes, schools, volunteers, donors and community leaders.

Menking, newly appointed Chairperson of the Mary's Meals USA Board, brings decades of experience in executive leadership, financial strategy, restaurant operations and real estate investment. Before forming the Hielan Companies, Menking spent seven years with la Madeleine Bakery & Café, serving first as chief financial officer and later as president and CEO of the 63-unit restaurant chain through 2002. During his tenure, he helped strengthen the organization's leadership team, reduce management turnover, increase cash flow and successfully recapitalize the business. In 2009, he led the acquisition of 21 Chili's restaurants in the Midwest, which were combined with existing operations to form Hielan Restaurant Group. Today, Hielan Restaurant Group operates 43 Chili's restaurants across five states, while Menking also invests in commercial real estate through Hielan Real Estate Fund.

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"I first discovered Mary's Meals in Scotland and was deeply impressed by the extraordinary impact of its work, its cost-effective model and, above all, the loving commitment of the organization to its mission. I knew I wanted to get involved and help Mary's Meals USA become a much greater contributor to this cause, bringing more people together to ensure children receive a meal in the place where they learn," said Menking.

Joining him as Vice Chairperson, Andy Armanino brings extensive experience in finance, governance and philanthropic leadership. Armanino is the former CEO and Managing Partner of Armanino LLP, where he led the firm from 2005 until his retirement in 2018, growing it into the 20th largest accounting firm in the United States. He currently serves as Chairman of Moore Global, Chairman of Good.lab and as a director of California BanCorp, and has held a number of additional business and nonprofit leadership roles.

"Mary's Meals is a remarkable example of faith in action," said Armanino. "I look forward to helping expand awareness and participation in a mission that is both deeply human and profoundly hopeful."

Mary's Meals works with local communities, in-country volunteers, and trusted partners to serve more than 3 million children every school day across 16 countries, providing over 400 million meals annually. By offering one daily meal in a place of education, the organization helps children come to school, stay in school and gain access to opportunities that can ultimately help break the cycle of poverty.

https://www.marysmealsusa.org/what-we-do