leadership

Carmella Weatherill is a Co-Founder of The Pura Maria Foundation - New Beginnings.  Carmella is responsible for  leading the development of the foundation's short- and long-term strategy, creating and implementing the foundation's vision and mission, managing the overall operations and resources of the organization and is engaged in promoting social awareness, building our network, and actively driving community support.  Carmella's passion to create The Pura Maria Foundation was motivated by her desire to give others the same opportunities she has been afforded throughout her life and career.  Carmella knows not everybody has the benefit of choice and has witnessed close friends have to make hard decisions that put their lives in danger physically and emotionally given a lack of  independence limiting their options.  Carmella has always wanted others to be having the same choices in life she has experienced.  The Pura Maria Foundation provides Carmella with the opportunity to fulfill her passion to help others by providing victims of domestic abuse and violence with the support needed to know the signs of an abusive relationship and how to leave a dangerous situation.

Carmella is a graduate of The University of Saint Xavier in Chicago, IL where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting and Finance.  Carmella has been in Executive positions in the Telecom and software industries for over 30 years.  She is recognized as a leader in her field and has held several Global Vice President of Sales Operations & Customer Success positions within well established and start-up Telecommunications, Internet and Software companies.  Carmella is currently heading up Global Systems, Productivity & Reporting for Google Cloud in Sunnyvale, CA.

Carmella can be reached at

carm@puramariafoundation.org carmellaweatherill@gmail.com

or at (720) 320-5828

To learn more, visit 

 www. puramariafoundation.org

Mercedes Colwin is a Co-Founder and Secretary & Treasurer of The Pura Maria Foundation - New Beginnings.

Mercedes is a highly successful trial attorney, and is the founding partner of Gordon & Rees’ New York City Office. She handles a wide variety of litigation, including employment law, commercial litigation, class actions, products liability, professional liability, wage and hour class actions, civil rights violations and criminal law. 

Ms. Colwin has defended thousands of cases throughout the country to a favorable result and won over ninety percent of her numerous trials and arbitrations. She regularly litigates business disputes and defends corporations and executives of Fortune 500 companies accused of wrongdoing, including claims of sexual misconduct. 

Prior to private practice, Ms. Colwin served as an Administrative Law Judge for the New York State Division of Human Rights. During these nine years of service, while a partner at a major regional New York law firm, she presided over 3,000 cases brought under federal and state discrimination laws. 

Ms. Colwin has received several significant honors. Forbes Business American Airlines named Ms. Colwin one of the six most influential women in America. The list includes dignitaries such as former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Notre Dame Law School presented Ms. Colwin with the prestigious Graciela Olivarez Award for outstanding achievement as a leading Hispanic lawyer of the highest ethical and moral standards. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor received the same award. MultiCultural Law magazine also profiled Ms. Colwin in a Leadership Interview titled, Reaching Back to Diversify the Legal Professional. Human Resources Magazine named Ms. Colwin as one of the Nation’s Most Powerful Rising Employment Attorneys. 

Widely regarded as one of the top national legal analysts on the Fox News Network, she regularly appears on the network to discuss critical national legal issues. 

The Pura Maria Foundation holds special meaning to Mercedes and has been founded in honor of Mercedes' sister Pura Maria.

To learn more, visit 

www. puramariafoundation.org 

Marina Llata is a founding director of The Pura Maria Foundation – New Beginnings.  Marina is responsible for fundraising, networking, outreach/communications, and strategic planning.  Marina was drawn to join the mission of The Pura Maria Foundation because as a Latina from Los Angeles and as a successful professional, she is well aware that domestic violence does not know economic, social or cultural boundaries.  It consists not only of physical abuse but also of intimidation and manipulation, or mental and emotional abuse, and it impacts women and men of any socio-economic background and of any level of educational achievement.  Having witnessed domestic violence as a child and as an adult through the unfortunate experiences of some friends and relatives, Marina was always left with a yearning to want to help victims of domestic violence build confidence, develop skills necessary to become self-sufficient and get out of abusive relationships.  The Maria Pura Foundation is helping Marina fulfill this dream.        
Marina accomplished her undergraduate studies at the University of California in Santa Barbara and she is a graduate of UCLA School of Law. She is admitted to practice in California and in Illinois.  Marina was drawn to the practice of law because of her passion for helping others.  She started her career in the legal field as a plaintiffs’ employment lawyer in private practice, representing victims of employment discrimination, harassment and wrongful termination. She currently works for an insurance company as an in-house claims attorney handling fiduciary claims.  

Marina can be reached at mllata2421@gmail.com 

or at (646) 379-3765

To learn more, visit

 www. puramariafoundation.org