Meet Our Team

Marcia Willis-Community Investment Lead

Marcia was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, attended Howard High School, and earned her GED in 2024—an achievement that reflects her determination and follow-through. Her career has spanned the service and healthcare sectors, where she has focused on helping people live full lives and feel seen in the middle of hard seasons. Marcia brings real steadiness to her work and a deep respect for the daily effort it takes to keep going—especially when life is complicated. With ten years of active sobriety, she carries a hard-won strength and a grounded perspective. Above all, she is devoted to her family and community—as a daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, and friend.

Marcia

Shannon P. Martin-Executive Director

Shannon has served as Executive Director of The Martin Foundation since 2005, bringing long-term leadership and steady care for the work of philanthropy. With an M.A. in Sociology from the University of Missouri, she approaches community support with a people-centered lens and a deep commitment to learning. Shannon is passionate about all things philanthropy, an avid reader, and she loves serving Nashville—a city she has called home for 27 years. Shannon and Charlie have three children and have been partners for 22 years.

Shannon

"We know only too well that what we are doing is nothing more than a drop in the ocean. But if the drop were not there, the ocean would be missing something."

— Mother Teresa