Village for Vets Names Mary McGuire as Executive Director
Village for Vets current Director of Programs and Operations, Mary McGuire has been named as the new executive director. McGuire will succeed Marcie Polier Swartz, who is stepping up to the role of Chairman Emeritis after 6 years leading the organization as it’s Founder and Executive Director.
Mary McGuire is the daughter of a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel and Vietnam Veteran and has a lifelong passion for supporting US military veterans and their families. She has worked twenty plus years in the non-profit and government sectors to strengthen the systems that protect the most marginalized members of society, both in the United States and abroad. She has worked with organizations such as GLAAD, Freedom House, and Declare Yourself, advocating for the rights of women, LGBTQIA+, ethnic minorities, human rights defenders, and journalists facing political persecution in undemocratic parts of the world.
Her breadth of experience combined with her passion for Veterans brought her to join Village for Vets as Director of Programs and Operations. Since her arrival in 2019 she has taken on the issues facing the homeless and at-risk Veterans of Los Angeles. Mary has overseen amazing growth in the size and scope of Village for Vets programming, and developed the organizational infrastructure to support that growth. She strongly believes that we can achieve an end to veteran homelessness both in greater LA and across the country.
Mary is an avid traveler and dog mom to Beto, her adorable chihuahua mix. In her spare time Mary enjoys hiking or spending time at the beach in Los Angeles and keeping her passport from getting too dusty.
“Mary is a positive and energetic leader. Her warmth, practical approach to problem solving, and passion for helping veterans has earned Mary the esteem of Village for Vets’s volunteers, staff, board, donors, as well as VA staff members, and the veterans we serve. We look forward to this next chapter in our organization” Said Gerry Chaleff, Chairman of the Board of Directors for Village for Vets