Mary Mccann Sanchez

Mary McCann Sanchez has dedicated her career to the support of human rights through service and education. Trained in language, literature and education at Benedictine College, Northern Illinois University and the University of Notre Dame, Mary believes that each individual has a voice to be heard and that civil society is strengthened by each of those voices. In particular, the aspirations and voices of children and youth have much to offer.

Mary came to Maryville in March of 2017 to serve as Program Director for Maryville’s Jovenes Adelante, which supports newly arrived children in the United States. Under her leadership more than 1,000 children who had suffered violence, abuse or chronic poverty have been reunited with family in the United States or settled into a safe environment. This important work is supported by a large team at Maryville with expertise in trauma-informed residential care, counseling, medical attention, education, case management and recreation.

Mary brings an international background of work with refugees and the displaced in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. Her 25 years of service in community development and human rights in Latin America also include teaching in Chile, medical missions to Bolivia and program development in Nicaragua. Early in her career, she was inspired by the role that children and nature play in inspiring unity, as expressed poetically by Chilean Nobel Laureate, Gabriela Mistral.