[Washington, D.C. – 5 May 2025] The international Board of Directors for Special Olympics elected new members Mrs. JoAnne Bessler, Mr. Mark McCorkle, and Mr. Toby Enqvist.
"We welcome JoAnne, Mark, and Toby to the international Board of Directors, and we celebrate the perspectives they bring from their industries and lived experiences. The Board convenes leaders who share a unifying belief - that people with intellectual disabilities deserve dignity, equality, and to be celebrated. Just as our global movement will be bolstered by their expertise, their voices will become even stronger, demonstrating in their communities that inclusion is not optional, it is imperative."
Mrs. JoAnne (Joni) Bessler is a global citizen. She has lived and worked in the US, Israel, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, and most recently China, where she and her husband raised their three sons. The majority of Joni’s 40-year professional career was spent as a Partner with Booz, Allen & Hamilton and at Strategy&. At Booz Allen, Joni served clients globally in the Health, Financial Services, and Consumer sectors focused on helping organizations grow, improving operating efficiency, and navigating complex cross-industry/cross-geography challenges. After her retirement from Booz Allen, Joni shifted her focus to education as President, China for Avenues, the World School, Co-founder of Bookends in Shanghai, and Advisor to Y.K. Pao School in China. Joni co-founded Full Steam Forward, an after-school Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) enrichment program for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade girls from under-resourced communities where she serves as Chairwoman and CEO. Joni holds a BSc in Engineering from Stanford University and an MBA from University of Chicago GSB (Booth). She sits on the Board of Directors for the Birth Matters Foundation in Costa Alegre, Mexico. Joni splits her time between New York City and La Manzanilla, Mexico.
Retired Commander Mark McCorkle is the Principal of Six Point Justice Solutions, a company dedicated to ensuring safety and security through specialized operations, consultation, and work as an expert witness in litigation. With an impressive career spanning 27 years with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Mark has honed his expertise in policy development and auditing federal and state law enforcement and corrections agencies. Beyond his professional achievements, Mark is a devoted volunteer and leader within the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) global movement. As Chairman of the LETR Executive Council Final Leg Planning Committee, he successfully orchestrated the 2023 LETR Final Leg in Berlin and the 2025 Final Leg in Turin, Italy. He is currently leading the planning committee for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, and Special Olympics World Games Santiago 2027 . Mark’s dedication to raising funds and awareness for individuals with intellectual disabilities spans over 22 years, during which he has attended more than fifty Special Olympics competitions and personally raised over $400,000 for the movement. His commitment to Special Olympics is further demonstrated by his roles on the Special Olympics Idaho Board of Directors, Interim Director for Special Olympics Idaho’s LETR, and current member of Special Olympics Southern California’s LETR Council.
Mr. Toby Enqvist is the Global Chief Operations Officer for United Airlines. He is responsible for corporate safety, airport operations, flight operations, inflight operations, network operations center, operations performance, corporate real estate, and customer solutions. Toby has been in the airline industry for over 25 years after joining Continental in 1996. During these 25 years with Continental and United Airlines, he has held various leadership positions within operations and finance. Prior to his current role, Toby was Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer where he created innovative solutions to improve the customer journey while providing front-line employees the tools, policies and processes needed to succeed at their jobs. Born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden, Toby moved to the U.S. to attend Ouachita Baptist University on a tennis scholarship, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration. He received his MBA from Southern Methodist University and is also a member of the Northwestern University Business Advisory Council.
The international Board of Directors for Special Olympics is the ultimate governing authority for the Special Olympics global movement. Composed of Special Olympics athletes and leaders in business, government, disability, sports, and entertainment, the Board is responsible for global affairs and strategies of Special Olympics. Board Members are elected to three-year terms and may be re-elected twice.
Full biographies and a complete list of Board members are available on www.specialolympics.org.