Meet Our Board of Directors
Daniel New
Founder & President
Daniel New is the Founder & President of The McNew Project and a healthcare data strategy executive with more than 15 years of professional experience across healthcare, data strategy, analytics, operations, and organizational leadership.
As Director of Data Strategy at Dragonfly Health, Daniel leads enterprise initiatives that use data, analytics, and technology to improve decision-making, operational performance, and organizational growth. His work focuses on building scalable data strategies and systems that turn complex information into clear, actionable insight and equip leaders to make better decisions.
Daniel co-founded The McNew Project, a Birmingham-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, with his husband Brandon McBay. What began through a deeply personal connection to Alzheimer’s and dementia fundraising has evolved into a broader platform for community impact. Today, The McNew Project brings people, generosity, and strategic partnerships together to support equity-deserving communities through purpose, progress, and power.
Under Daniel’s leadership, TMP is expanding its impact across health and human services, education, emergency relief, arts and creative expression, Alzheimer’s research and caregiver support, and community-based nonprofit initiatives. Through elevated community gatherings, donor engagement, strategic partnerships, grants, and direct impact opportunities, TMP is building a flexible model designed to turn celebration into meaningful and measurable change.
The organization’s signature Royal Impact Gala, formerly the Royal ALZ Gala, brings together donors, sponsors, advocates, nonprofit partners, and community leaders around a shared commitment to creating meaningful local impact in Birmingham and beyond.
Daniel’s background in healthcare operations and administration, combined with his experience in data strategy, organizational leadership, and philanthropy, gives him a distinctive perspective on how people, systems, technology, and community can work together to solve complex challenges and create lasting progress.
He holds a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from the University of St. Francis and a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Outside of his professional and nonprofit work, Daniel is a classically trained singer and avid traveler who enjoys music, design, technology, and discovering new perspectives around the world. He lives in the Birmingham area with his husband, Brandon, and their two pups, Tucker and Maverick. Together, they enjoy entertaining friends, staying active, and being engaged in their community.
Brandon McBay
Founder & Chief Operating Officer
Brandon McBay is the Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer of The McNew Project and a senior banking executive with extensive experience in credit administration, financial services, organizational leadership, and operations.
As Senior Vice President, Credit Administration at SouthState Bank, Brandon serves in a senior leadership role supporting the bank’s credit administration function. His career in banking has given him deep experience in credit, risk, operational execution, and navigating complex financial organizations, bringing a disciplined and strategic perspective to both his professional work and nonprofit leadership.
Brandon co-founded The McNew Project, a Birmingham-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, with his husband Daniel New. What began through their deeply personal connection to Alzheimer’s and dementia evolved from a gathering of friends and family into a growing platform for community impact. Today, The McNew Project brings people, generosity, and strategic partnerships together to support equity-deserving communities through purpose, progress, and power.
As Chief Operating Officer, Brandon helps guide the organization’s strategy, operations, partnerships, and execution as TMP expands its impact across health and human services, education, emergency relief, arts and creative expression, Alzheimer’s research and caregiver support, and community-based nonprofit initiatives. His financial and operational experience helps ensure the organization pairs ambitious ideas with thoughtful stewardship, strong execution, and sustainable growth.
Brandon has also held significant volunteer leadership roles in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease, including serving as President of the Alzheimer’s Association Alabama Chapter Board of Directors. That experience helped shape the philanthropic foundation from which The McNew Project grew and continues to inform his commitment to thoughtful, community-centered service.
The organization’s signature Royal Impact Gala, formerly the Royal ALZ Gala, reflects that evolution—building on TMP’s roots while bringing donors, sponsors, nonprofit partners, advocates, and community leaders together to create meaningful local impact across a growing range of causes.
Outside of his professional and nonprofit work, Brandon enjoys traveling, staying active, entertaining friends, and spending time with Daniel and their two pups, Tucker and Maverick. Together, he and Daniel remain deeply engaged in the Birmingham community and share a commitment to creating experiences that bring people together while making a lasting difference.
Ethan Hiatt
CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER
Ethan Hiatt serves as Chief Legal Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of The McNew Project, bringing extensive experience in litigation, strategic counsel, entrepreneurship, and community service to the organization.
Ethan is the founder of Hiatt Law LLC, a Birmingham-based litigation firm focused on construction and product defect matters. Through his practice, he combines the focused attention of a boutique firm with the strategic approach required for complex, high-value disputes. He works closely with clients to investigate failures, identify responsible parties, develop practical litigation strategies, and pursue effective resolutions through negotiation, mediation, arbitration, or trial.
A distinguished trial attorney, Ethan has successfully handled more than 25 trials and secured individual settlements exceeding $5 million throughout his career. His commitment to courtroom advocacy developed early in his career and has remained central to his practice.
Ethan earned his B.A. in Political Science from The University of Alabama in 2011 and his J.D. from The University of Alabama School of Law in 2014. Following law school, he began his career with a large Birmingham firm, working with its Antitrust and Cybersecurity practice groups on multidistrict class action litigation. He joined Edge Lawyers in 2016, where he further developed his passion for trial work before ultimately founding Hiatt Law LLC.
His professional accomplishments have earned recognition as a Top 40 Under 40 attorney by The National Trial Lawyers in 2024 and as a Lawyer of Distinction in 2025.
Ethan’s commitment to service extends well beyond his legal practice. His additional philanthropic background includes previously serving as Vice President of the Junior Board for Smile-A-Mile and a member of the Board of Directors for the Alabama Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. That combination of professional leadership and longstanding civic involvement makes him an important part of The McNew Project’s work to create meaningful, lasting impact in the communities we serve.
Outside of his professional and nonprofit work, Ethan enjoys cooking and spending time with his wife, Kayla; their three daughters, Emerson, Ali, and Ava; and the family’s “best boy,” Case.
Hal Word
CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
Hal Word serves as Chief Development Officer of The McNew Project, bringing a lifelong connection to the arts, a strong commitment to community service, and a creative perspective to the organization’s development and relationship-building efforts.
An artist by trade, Hal’s pieces are collected by individuals throughout the country and are available at such establishments as The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, The Four Seasons Teton Village, and in Jackson Wyoming.
A native of Scottsboro Alabama, Hal has been immersed in the arts since practically birth. Some of his earliest memories are of being taken to various theatrical productions as well as the ballet and numerous other classical and contemporary musical performances. His first Broadway experience was 1976’s revival of “My Fair Lady”, a musical in which, almost 35 years later, he played the role of Freddy Eynsford-Hill.
Hal attended Darlington School in Rome Georgia where he was a member of the Darlington Chorus, Boy’s Quartet, and Darlington Players all four years. Upon graduation, he was the recipient of the Fine Arts Award, which is given to one male and one female senior each year. Hal studied voice at Rhodes College in Memphis where he also appeared in several theatrical productions. His love for performing has continued as he has appeared in numerous productions in the Birmingham metro area over the past almost 20 years including as Max in “Becky Shaw”, Rapunzel’s Prince in “Into the Woods”, John Honeyman in “A Walk in the Woods, The Teen Angel in “Grease”, and the aforementioned Freddy Eynsford-Hill in “My Fair Lady”. In 2026 Hal headlined his own show, “All Dressed Up With Somewhere To Go”.
In addition to The McNew Project, Hal currently serves on the board of The Historic Neely Theatre in Oneonta. He previously served on the Foundation Board of the Huntsville Museum of Art, as well as the boards of Terrific New Theatre, The Dane Peterson Theatre Series, and The Alzheimer’s Association Alabama Chapter.
Maree Jones
CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER
Maree Jones serves as Chief Strategy Officer of The McNew Project, bringing more than 16 years of experience in communications, brand strategy, digital engagement, and community building to the organization. Her ability to connect strategy with storytelling helps guide how The McNew Project communicates its mission, strengthens its presence, and builds meaningful relationships with the communities and partners it serves.
Maree Jones is a communications and social media strategist with more than 16 years of experience helping organizations build stronger brands, cultivate meaningful communities, and navigate an ever-changing digital landscape. Her career has spanned higher education, technology, advertising, public relations, and corporate communications, with experience working alongside organizations ranging from global brands to local nonprofits.
A nationally sought-after speaker and trainer, Maree regularly shares her expertise on social media strategy, digital communications, personal branding, audience engagement, and the evolving relationship between people and technology. Throughout her career, she has worked at the intersection of strategy, storytelling, reputation, and community, advising leaders and organizations on communicating with clarity and purpose.
Her approach is grounded in a simple belief: Digital relationships are real relationships. That philosophy shapes her work whether she is developing communications strategy, guiding organizations through social media best practices, or speaking to audiences about building meaningful connections in digital spaces.
A Birmingham native, Maree is deeply invested in the community she calls home and has volunteered her time and communications expertise with charitable and nonprofit organizations throughout the metro area. Outside of her professional and community work, she is a wife and mom, devoted local news follower, and enthusiastic champion of Birmingham and the people and organizations working to make it better.
Learn more at mareejones.com or follow @mareejones on social media.
The Behind the Scenes Dream Team
