Who We Are

Mission Santa Maria is a U.S. based, 501(c)3, non-profit organization helping children and youth in Ecuador.  Our programs provide food, shelter, and scholarships for children to attend school. We have been raising money in the United States since 2007.

Mission Santa Maria began in 2007 after a volunteer trip by Jim Campbell to a foster home for children from abusive situations. The home for children was created by Ecuadorian missionary sisters over 30 years ago. The accompanying school educates the children from the home and has become one of the best schools in the state taking in 1200 students from the surrounding area.

Mission Santa Maria was created to continue the good work to help children from vulnerable situations. Mission Santa Maria now supports three programs to support children in Ecuador (see our programs pages).

Jim and his wife Grace moved to Ecuador in 2019 to work with Mission Santa Maria and the children they support. (View Jim Campbell’s full bio).

Jim Campbell, Chairman

Jim Campbell is the Founder, president, and executive director of Mission Santa Maria. After founding Mission Santa Maria in 2007 with the help of his family and friends, Jim worked in the financial industry until June 2019, when he and his wife, Grace, moved to Ecuador to run the Mission full-time. Jim is from New Jersey and graduated from Franciscan University and received his MBA from Georgetown University. Previously, he worked in New York City with Layton Road Group, BNP Paribas, and Credit Suisse. He and Grace met in NYC and were married in 2018. They live in Ecuador with their two daughters. 

Michelle Sandomenico, Treasurer

Michelle is the newest member of the Mission Santa Maria board, joining in 2025. Michelle brings over 30 years of accounting experience to her role as Treasurer of Mission Santa Maria. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Rutger’s Business School and serves as Director of Financial Services at Avaya. Michelle and her husband, David, live in New Jersey with their two children and share a strong commitment to helping children in need through Mission Santa Maria’s work in Ecuador. 

Patrick Gallic

Patrick joined the board of Mission Santa Maria in 2018. He graduated from Seton Hall University and later received a Master’s in International Political Economy and Development from Fordham University. He spent several years living overseas as a Project Manager with Catholic Relief Services, experience that has proved helpful time and time again while serving on the Mission Santa Maria board. In 2013, he moved back to his home-town in New Jersey and has been working in analytics, product management, and business innovation. He currently works as the VP of Business Innovation at Tokio Marine HCC. He is married with eight children. 

Paul Doman

Paul joined the board of Mission Santa Maria in 2023. He earned both a bachelor’s degree and a MBA from Franciscan University. He has spent his career focused on the product development services industry and in 2019 co-founded Victory Square Partners, an engineering services firm and builders of software products, currently serving as the CEO. He lives in Maryland with his wife Maura and their eight children. 

Peter Bremberg 

Peter Bremberg joined the board of Mission Santa Maria in 2011 and has been an active supporter since its inception. He currently serves on the finance committee. Peter is the founder of The Quarry, a New York based alternative investment firm. Previously, he was the COO for Boothbay Fund Management LLC and a Director at BNP Paribas. Before BNP, he worked in India in the microfinance sector as a Manager with Northern Arc Capital (formerly IFMR Capital), and began his career at Bear, Stearns & Co. in the Equities Division.

Peter has an M.B.A. in Finance from the Stern School of Business at New York University, and a B.A. in Philosophy from Franciscan University of Steubenville. Peter previously served as a board member of ArtWorks – The Naomi Cohain Foundation, a not-for-profit dedicated to improving the healthcare experience for pediatric patients through the arts. Peter lives in New York with his wife Rachel and their three children.

Michael Donaghue 

Michael joined the Mission Santa Maria board in 2018 and currently serves on the finance committee. Michael graduated from Dartmouth College and later received a MBA from Harvard Business School. He spent a long career in the financial industry, most recently as the President of the Phoenix Investment Advisor, before shifting his career to philanthropic endeavors. In 2019 he became the Executive Director for Catholic Charities of Fairfield County, CT, a position he continues to hold. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, their five children now all college graduates, and is an active member of the Order of Malta, American Association.