Who We Are
About Us
About Us
Loudoun Literacy Council has been changing lives through reading and learning to promote personal growth and empowerment in Loudoun County since 1980. We believe that literacy remains essential to achieving community-wide aspirations of developing young learners, strengthening families, enabling parents to participate in the education of their children, and ensuring access to opportunities for economic advancement.
Mission
Mission
Loudoun Literacy Council’s mission is to provide adults with essential reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in English, enabling them to pursue a broader selection of job opportunities, further their education, and engage more fully and fairly in their community.
Vision
Vision
Our vision is that all those who live and work in Loudoun County will have the literacy skills required to participate and thrive in our community.
Core Values
Core Values
Respect
Respect for our program participants, volunteers, and staffs
Collaboration
Collaboration among board and staff as well as with our volunteers and partners in the community
Inclusiveness
Inclusiveness in our program and events so that all feel welcome
Service
Service to our community and its residents
Trust
Trust in the positive intent with which we all approach our work
Empowerment
Empowerment of our program participants and the staff and volunteers who serve them
Transparency
Transparency and ethical behavior in all interactions
Commitment
Commitment to race and gender equity in our program development, staffing decisions and board decisions
Our Board Members
Our Board Members
Beatriz McNelly, Chair
Dee Shupe, Director
Beatriz McNelly, Chair
Philanthropy, particularly for education, is very important to Beatriz McNelly, inspired by her coming to this country at age 11, speaking Spanish, when no one in the area spoke her native language.
Beatriz felt a Loudoun Literacy Council connection and was honored to join the Board of Directors in 2020. She truly understands the need for and is deeply committed to, the services Loudoun Literacy Council offers many people.
Being an entrepreneur may well be in her blood. She was born in Argentina; her father was a mechanical engineer, and her mother a seamstress. Once in this country, they started their own company, Lu-el Draperies. Beatriz has been quite successful working for United Airlines, opening their South American offices, opening FiberGate, Inc., a dark fiber networking company, and then starting Be Logic LLC, helping entrepreneurs and small companies get their back office in order.
Beatriz has a long history of giving back to her community. Her first love is her three children and five grandchildren. She considers herself blessed working with The ARC of Loudoun, serving on their board, and helping SAY (Stuttering Association for the Young). She’s worked in Resourceful Woman Thrift Store run by Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter; AWS second-hand store; and Halcyon House, a nonprofit incubation program helping young entrepreneurs build companies for the betterment of mankind. She’s involved with the Northern Virginia Community Foundation, the Business Women’s Giving Circle, and Latino Education Fund.
Dee Shupe, Director
Dee Shupe is a well-known entrepreneur and community activist. Her experience, skills, and passion are tremendously valuable to Loudoun Literacy Council, where she joined the Board of Directors in 2020.
Dee, the founder of Deirdre, a start-up clothing company, is passionate about helping women over 40 feel confident and happy through fashion, age positivity, and connection. Her substantial digital marketing efforts are a helpful experience for Loudoun Literacy Council.
She was co-founder of Expressette, a Purcellville embroidery and uniform/spirit wear shop, which provided creations for Blue Ridge Middle School, Catoctin Basketball, Woodgrove Volleyball, and Dance teams clients, among others.
Her extensive corporate experience includes serving as an ATT software engineer, Trecom Business Systems Consultant, and Mobil Oil Project Manager, Project Leader, Systems Analyst, and Programmer.
Dee’s volunteer role over many years further demonstrates her community commitment. She started a Women’s Circle to increase community connection among older women. She’s worked with schools at all levels, sports teams, theater groups, and the Boy and Girl Scouts. Dee has especially enjoyed creating school programs. She is active personally with stock market options trading, tennis, and a book club.
Dee received a Fashion Design Certificate, from Parsons School of Design, an MBA, from Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, an International Specialization of the MBA program, George Washington University, and an MS in Commerce from McIntire School of Commerce, University of Virginia.
