500 Sails welcomes Marjorie Daria as director of Community Programs

Marjorie A. Daria

Marjorie A. Daria has been named as the new director of Community Programs with 500 Sails, effective last Nov. 1, 2021.

Born on Saipan and raised on Tinian, Doria is the daughter of Juan Manalo and Lourdes Daria Atalig.

According to a 500 Sails press statement, Doria “brings a renewed energy and enthusiasm to 500 Sails, having served on its board of directors as the chair of the Strategic Planning Committee and later as its vice president. She sailed twice to Tinian over the past year with 500 Sails with renowned Master Navigator Mario Benito and Master Navigator Antonio Piailug, in order to re-introduce maritime sailing activities to her community. She is an active teacher to the current Famalo’an Lalåyak cohort, providing traditional sailing instruction that was developed by Master Navigator Cecilio Raikiulipiy.

A graduate of Tinian Jr. Sr. High School, Doria has gone on to pursue bachelor degrees in Psychology (research concentration) and Biology and a minor in Neuroscience from the University of Connecticut and a master’s degree in Medical Sciences from the University of South Florida.

She is also a graduate of the 2017 Executive Leadership Development Program under the Graduate School USA, U.S. Department of the Interior, networking with a number of like-minded leaders across the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, American Samoa, and Guam.

With a deep passion for her Tinian community, Doria worked for her island with the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. as a care coordinator under the System of Care grant under the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, where she was instrumental in laying the foundation for the children’s mental health program, as well organizing the 2016 Micronesian Youth Summit Network Conference on Tinian.

At just 26, she transitioned as the resident director for the Tinian Health Center, where she oversaw the management of the clinic and its adjacent 24- hour Emergency Unit, and worked at a local level to best represent the wellbeing of the clinic and the health population to shape policy with stakeholders. Making the move to Saipan, just last year in light of the pandemic, Doria worked for CHCC’s Environmental Health Disease Prevention Program, leading and training a small team in investigating a number of high-profile infectious disease cases, including COVID-19. Her background provides added value to 500 Sails in improving health outcomes with a culturally tailored approach and that partnerships with her sister islands stay vibrant.

A leader by example, Doria has served a diverse, multi-ethnic population from her time on the executive council with Huskies Away from Home during her undergraduate years, as an AmeriCorps patient advocate in the Emergency Department at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland, as a summer intern to rural villages in Guatemala and Honduras, and later on the Tinian Women’s Association, Inc., where she also helped champion the movement to Save Pagan, Save Tinian alongside her fellow community members. She currently serves on the board for the Inetnun Kutturan Natibun Marianas/Kkoor Anamasal Marianas as their secretary.

“Health and wellness are vital to my core values and it’s centered on the connections we have to the place we call home, the community around us, the way we view ourselves, and our past and future,” said Doria. “If one of the ways to strengthen our cultural identity is to reclaim our maritime practices and traditions, then we can provide an outlet where we not only strengthen our physical well-being, but our mental health and cultural roots as well. Soon, we can build a healthier CNMI community who practice canoe culture in their daily lives.”

“Marjorie is a wonderful fit for 500 Sails, bringing a natural energy to those around her as she’s out on the water. She’s been on the board this past year and has been instrumental in the development of 500 Sails’ five-year strategic plan. We can’t think of anyone better to implement that, moving forward” said Emma and Peter Perez, co-founders of 500 Sails.

500 Sails is a 501(c)3 and CNMI tax-exempt nonprofit organization dedicated to reviving, promoting, and preserving the maritime cultural traditions of the Mariana Islands through community engagement in canoe cultural values and activities. 500 Sails’ vision is a healthy thriving native community that has successfully integrated traditional cultural values into modern life.

Further information can be found on the 500 Sails website at https://500sails.org and updates on our community programs can be found on our 500 Sails Facebook and Instagram pages. Community Programs Director Daria can be reached via email through mdaria@500sails.org or at the boatyard in Lower Base at (670) 323-7245 (SAIL). (PR)