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Maria Eitel
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Maria Eitel, president of the Nike Foundation, works with key players in economic and social development to achieve the foundation's objective of contributing to poverty alleviation. The Nike Foundation leverages business resources and skills to increase awareness and investment in adolescent girls in the developing world as an untapped resource in fighting global poverty.

Prior to becoming the foundation's first president, Ms. Eitel served as Nike Inc.'s first vice president for corporate responsibility. During her tenure, she saw Nike through the challenging global business environment of the late 1990s into the 21st century with the development and implementation of Nike's first corporate responsibility agenda, including labor practices, environmental sustainability, community investment, diversity and governance.

Formerly, Ms. Eitel served as European corporate affairs group manager for Microsoft Corporation where she managed corporate, public and community affairs initiatives for the company's European headquarters and 24 European subsidiaries from Paris, France. Before joining Microsoft in 1995, Ms. Eitel served as director of public affairs for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and was senior manager of communications and community relations at MCI Communications Corp. From 1989 to 1992, Ms. Eitel served in the White House as deputy director of media relations and later as special assistant to the president for media affairs. She directed White House communications initiatives and programs, served as an official spokesperson for the president and managed Cabinet involvement in White House and communications initiatives. Her earlier career experience was as a reporter and producer in commercial and public broadcasting.

She serves on numerous boards and advisory groups including the Initiative for Global Development, the Acumen Fund, the World Bank Gender Action Plan, the World Economic Forum HIVAIDS Global Agenda Council, the Millennium Promise, and the Lakeside School in Seattle, Washington. Formerly, she served as a director of the Safeco Corporation, the World Economic Forum Global Governance Initiative, the Global Alliance for Workers and Communities, the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Monitoring International Labor Standards and Business for Social Responsibility, a business membership organization that promotes corporate social responsibility among global companies. Ms. Eitel speaks at numerous forums on corporate social responsibility, governance, human and labor rights, sustainable development, philanthropy and social entrepreneurs.


Born and raised in Everett, Washington, Ms. Eitel graduated with a BA from McGill University and an MS from Georgetown University. She is a graduate of the Executive Program at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. In addition to her native English, she speaks fluent French.

Blog Entries by Maria Eitel

Girls Are the Key to Solving Poverty

(14) Comments | Posted May 1, 2013 | 11:42 AM

We cannot leave girls out of the equation -- not even in a simple title or a motivating campaign like Raise For Women. Why? Because adolescent girls are uniquely disadvantaged, yet they have the most potential to make the greatest change. I don't say this casually. It comes from a...

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International Day of the Girl: Doing Right by Girls Everywhere

(2) Comments | Posted October 11, 2012 | 10:11 AM

Of the many days in 2012 I've been anticipating, this one stands above them all. Today is the first-ever United Nations International Day of the Girl, thanks to Plan International and CIDA. Eight years ago, when the "girl effect" was just an idea, the NoVo Foundation, the UN Foundation, and...

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Family Planning Unleashes the Girl Effect

(5) Comments | Posted July 13, 2012 | 3:39 PM

At the groundbreaking London Summit on Family Planning this week, more than 150 leaders from the public and private sector joined forces to increase access to lifesaving contraceptives in the developing world. More than $2.6 billion was committed to get modern family planning to 120 million girls and women in...

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A Week Full of Firsts for the Girl Effect

(0) Comments | Posted September 24, 2010 | 12:25 PM

The third week of September is always a crazy time in New York, but it's a good crazy. It's full of possibilities. Between the Clinton Global Initiative, or CGI, and the UN General Assembly, there are literally dozens of opportunities to bring the girl effect to the forefront. I promised...

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The Clock is Ticking

(1) Comments | Posted September 15, 2010 | 6:04 AM

Next week I'll be reporting from New York. In what's shaping up to be a banner week for girls, I'll have the chance to share news as-it-happens from the MDG Summit, CGI, the WIE Symposium and a special meeting with heads of state on the MDG5. If it has an...

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It's Time to Consider the Girl Effect on HIV

(1) Comments | Posted August 11, 2010 | 11:41 AM

Last month some 20,000 researchers, policymakers and grassroots advocates got together for the International AIDS Conference in Vienna. If you noticed an uptick in HIV-related mentions in trending topics on Twitter, Yahoo or here on The Huffington Post, this is probably why. Together they presented more than 6,000 papers.

As...

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Davos Ends With Girls at the Forefront

(0) Comments | Posted January 30, 2010 | 8:37 PM

After five amazing days, the World Economic Forum annual meeting is coming to an end, almost as quickly as it began. It's been a tremendous week -- full of fascinating sessions, provocative conversations with brilliant people and, of course, some good fun in between.

As I mentioned in my...

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Davos 2010: Girls' Session is Filled With Energy, Ideas and Action for Change

(2) Comments | Posted January 30, 2010 | 1:02 PM

What a day. I think days at Davos are like dog years, or at least like two weeks of "normal" life. I'm stealing away from the "Women Leaders" dinner to quickly get this blog out.

I...we...all had high expectations for "Setting the Stage for the Girl Effect" workshop and,...

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Davos 2010: Anticipation Builds for "Setting the Stage for the Girl Effect"

(0) Comments | Posted January 29, 2010 | 1:45 PM

Another early morning in Davos, but I woke up refreshed and excited in anticipation of what's to come today: the workshop "Setting the Stage for the Girl Effect."

Actually, I think I really began to get excited last night as I once again made my rounds to the evening...

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Issues of Girls and Women Throughout Davos 2010

(0) Comments | Posted January 28, 2010 | 7:32 PM

I've attended Davos for the last seven years and I start off today's blog with a true confession of a rookie error.

Last night was the first big night of Davos gatherings. I started at the Clinton Global Initiative reception with President Clinton. He was in great form as...

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Day 1 at Davos: Girls, Economies and Green Innovation

(0) Comments | Posted January 28, 2010 | 2:00 PM

One of my favorite sessions every WEF conference so far has been the very first. Yesterday's was an update on the global economy moderated by Michael Elliott of Time International. He kicked off the session with stimulating questions and brought out the best in a panel of great economic thinkers....

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Davos 2010 - Redesigning the World with Girls in Mind

(0) Comments | Posted January 22, 2010 | 1:43 PM

Next week I'll be heading for the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting. It is always exciting to head off to Davos, Switzerland wondering what awaits us. The theme of this year's meeting is "Rethink, Redesign, and Rebuild" the world. That's a tall order, but if you've read my blog before,...

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Onward and Upward - Girls' Issues Make an Impact at TEDIndia and in Ethiopia

(1) Comments | Posted December 2, 2009 | 2:14 PM

I recently returned from some wonderful, eye-opening, and unforgettable experiences in India and Ethiopia. In my previous blog I talked about the incredible energy at the WEF India Economic Summit. I was inspired by the passion and a number of girl champions that emerged from the plenary session--both on the...

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India Economic Summit Champions Investing in Girls

(0) Comments | Posted December 2, 2009 | 11:43 AM

I sit on the flight from Delhi to London unable to sleep from all the excitement of the past few days, really the whole year. I am returning from the World Economic Forum's Summit in India and once again, as at previous economic summits, the importance of girls in the...

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At CGI and Beyond, World Leaders Say Girls Are the Key to Progress

(0) Comments | Posted September 30, 2009 | 5:32 PM

The Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative, which just wrapped up, was a key moment in the movement to get girls on the global agenda and drive resources to them. Those organizations who have been doing this work for years were thrilled to see that we're finally beginning to...

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In the Face of Extraordinary Risk, Three Girls Demand Justice

(0) Comments | Posted August 7, 2009 | 5:27 PM

Last week The New York Times' Nick Kristof wrote about a Pakistani girl named Assiya Rafiq who, at 16, was held captive and raped and beaten for a year. She finally made it to the "refuge" of a police station, where four officers took turns raping her all over...

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World Population Day Highlights Educating Girls

(3) Comments | Posted July 10, 2009 | 8:50 PM

A quick note from Maria: the Nike Foundation's Managing Director, Lisa MacCallum suggested we take a moment to comment on World Population Day. Following is her take on things.

Today, Saturday, July 11, is the 20th annual World Population Day. Its whole goal is to raise awareness of global population...

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World Economic Forum: Progress Across Africa Depends on Girls

(0) Comments | Posted June 15, 2009 | 7:55 PM

I mentioned last week that girls would be front and center at the World Economic Forum on Africa's session entitled "The Girl Effect in Africa." By all accounts, it was an amazing session. The Nike Foundation's Managing Director, Lisa MacCallum, served as moderator and shared this report:

For those not...

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Before the World Economic Forum on Africa, the Continent's Youngest Leaders Discuss the Keys to Progress

(0) Comments | Posted June 9, 2009 | 1:34 PM

As anticipation builds for this week's World Economic Forum on Africa, many are not aware that another important summit took place in Cape Town last week. It didn't get the same attention, but its impact on Africa's future is equally profound.

The African Youth Summit, hosted by the British...

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Letting everyone in on a little secret: The girl effect is also about...boys and men

(1) Comments | Posted March 31, 2009 | 9:05 PM

It's no secret I'm a passionate, shout-it-from-the-rooftops advocate of the girl effect - the positive social and economic change brought about when girls have the opportunity to participate. I wholeheartedly believe in the ripple effect that investments in adolescent girls have on everyone around them. I believe that girls have...

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