Proven Leadership

Mary Partin

After 35 years in non-profit leadership roles, the past twenty-four of those as Chief Executive Officer of The Dan Marino Foundation, Mary’s visionary leadership brings forth groundbreaking solutions leveraging technology to promote inclusivity and address systemic barriers faced by individuals with autism.

Mary is recognized as a national leader within the neurodiversity community, responsible for innovative solutions utilizing virtual and augmented reality, focused on career services, post-secondary education, and independent living.

Among her many accomplishments…

She founded the Marino Autism Research Institute at Vanderbilt University and Marino Campus post secondary schools in Fort Lauderdale and Miami. 

She served as a member of the Florida Governor’s Autism Task Force and President Obama’s Developmental Disability Advisory. 

She has presented at national conferences including the SAP: Autism at Work, Google Ed Foo, and the United Nations. 

Mary has positioned the Foundation to lead in the development of technology that addresses the challenges faced by people with autism and other developmental disabilities. Partnering with the University of Southern California Institute of Creative Technologies, the Foundation developed ViTA-DMF—a mixed reality software revolutionizing job interview preparation.

In 2022, acknowledging the significant role technology plays in enhancing quality of life, Mary founded QL TechWorks, a company committed to supporting neurodivergent individuals navigating life’s hurdles.