Maria Eitel is the founding CEO and president of the Nike Foundation, where she works to unleash the girl effect: the powerful social and economic change brought about when girls have opportunity. Prior to the foundation, she served as NIKE Inc.'s first vice president of corporate responsibility. Before Nike, she served at the White House, the Microsoft Corp., the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and MCI Communications Corp. Early in her career, she was a reporter and producer in commercial and public broadcasting. She holds degrees from McGill University (B.S.), Georgetown University (MSFS), and Stanford University (SEP). She serves on a number of boards.