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.

Pilar Lorca, Director

Pilar Lorca is the President and CEO of Fitness4EveryBody and is well known in the Loudoun Community. She joined the Loudoun Literacy Council Board of Directors in 2020.

Literacy is very important to Pilar because, as an immigrant, she personally knows how important it is to learn the language, not only to be able to communicate but to better our lives in this country or in any country we live, for that matter. This understanding and passion are of great value to the literacy work of the Loudoun Literacy Council. Pilar views it as an honor to serve on the Loudoun Literacy Council board to help others since she has walked the rough road of learning a new language.

She was born and raised in Colombia, South America. With English as a second language, she came to the U.S. more than 26 years ago and after becoming a single mother of two very young children, she embarked on a new career in health and fitness.

In 2003 Pilar founded her own company, Fitness4EveryBody. Over the past 17+ years, she has proven her ability to develop and grow a successful business through her passion for helping others and establishing powerful connections, as well as drawing on her networking ability.

Pilar attended Cambridge University, U.K., and earned a bachelor’s degree in languages.

Parvez Khan, Secretary

Parvez Khan is a business and personal coach with a decade of experience empowering and fostering change in nonprofit organizations. Loudoun Literacy Council benefits considerably from his interest in applying this knowledge to the important literacy work in Loudoun County. In 2019, Parvez joined Loudoun Literacy Council, now serving as Board of Directors Secretary.

Parvez considers it an honor to pay forward his family’s benefit as a Loudoun Literacy Council director. He remembers, as a young man helping his mother learn English by reading her children’s books or listening to her read them. It took her years to achieve a proficiency level to converse with people. Parvez understands the struggle of an adult to learn in a new land. He has sympathy and great respect for individuals looking to better themselves and their families by becoming language proficient.

As a business coach, Parvez brings numerous skills to Loudoun Literacy Council. He seeks to re-position a nonprofit’s leadership its operate their organization as a 21st-century nonprofit. As a personal coach, he facilitates removing barriers and empowering individuals to achieve their greatest goals.

He brings experience with organizations worldwide in the nonprofit, faith-based, for-profit, Information Technology, healthcare, and civil rights industries. He contributes a broad understanding of organizational challenges facing us today.

Parvez holds MS in Organization Development, from The American University in Washington, DC, and a BS in Information Technology degrees. He is a Licensed Human Element Practitioner (LHEP™), a holistic approach to human issues in organizations.

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.

Kristina Keech Spitler, General Counsel

Kristina Keech Spitler, Esq. is a shareholder at Vanderpool, Frostick & Nishanian, P.C. and has been practicing law for over thirty years. With a background as a civil litigator and former prosecutor, as well as experience with employment, business, corporate, real estate, zoning, and municipal law, Ms. Spitler uses her extensive experience and knowledge to partner with her clients to understand their legal and business needs and provide innovative solutions that are specific to each client. Ms. Spitler focuses on Employment Law, Civil Litigation, Business/Corporate Law, and Municipal Law including matters relating to hiring and firing, breach of agreements, non-compete and restrictive covenant agreements, discrimination, disabilities and accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Fair Labor Standards Act (wage and hour law), Family Medical Leave Act, and defamation. In addition, her practice includes drafting and updating handbooks and policy manuals, management and employee training, and drafting executive, independent contractor, and severance agreements.

Ms. Spitler also heads the firm’s Investigations practice. With years of experience working with people and businesses in multiple areas of the law, Ms. Spitler brings powerful knowledge and understanding of workplace issues to often sensitive investigations as well as the ability to assess credibility, draw conclusions and advise on the appropriate responses or solutions to companies, governmental entities, boards and committees.

Ms. Spitler is a highly rated speaker and trainer on the topic of Employment Law issues. In addition to speaking at conferences and conducting training sessions for businesses, she has been a featured speaker on employment law issues on WUSA Channel 9 News and has served as a resource and quoted in Workforce Management Magazine.
Ms. Spitler has been recognized as one of Virginia’s “Go To Lawyers” for Employment Law by Virginia Lawyers Weekly, one of Virginia’s “Most Influential Women” and a “Leader in the Law” by Virginia Lawyers Media, and as a “Legal Elite” in Labor/Employment Law from Virginia Business Magazine. She has also received the AV Preeminent rating, Martindale-Hubbell’s highest professional achievement.

You can learn additional information regarding Ms. Spitler at www.vfnlaw.com

Contact Ms. Spitler at kspitler@vfnlaw.com or 703-369-4738.

Fernando “Marty” Martinez, Director

Marty Martinez has a remarkable history of business, public, and social responsibility, and success. Loudoun Literacy is proud to have had him join the Board of Directors in 2023.

Professionally, Marty is a System Engineer supporting the Federal Aviation Administration and other federal agencies. He is also a veteran of the US Air Force.

Marty has been involved in civic government for over 20 years. He has served on the Leesburg Town Council since 2002, including having served as Vice-Mayor. Marty is the Leesburg Town Council’s representative to Leesburg’s Traffic Residential Committee, Board of Architectural Review, Cable Commission, Information Technology Commission, and Airport Commission.

Non-profit and social involvement is nothing new to Marty. He is a member of the Board of Directors of ARC of Loudoun at Paxton Campus. He is actively involved in his church and the Knights of Columbus. He has held leadership roles in PTOs and PTSAs at schools his children attended. He was an adult leader for the Boy Scouts of America, and he has coached youth baseball and basketball.

Marty’s involvement with Loudoun Literacy stems from his desire to give back to the community, but he also shared of his motivation, “I also want to be involved in an organization that provides opportunities to those who need help in navigating our language and put them on a path for success. To provide assistance to those who come from other countries that need help in making English a second language.”