Maria has spent more than 30 years in leadership roles within the non-profit and public sectors. She currently serves as Executive Director for the NEACWCD. In this role, she facilitates collaborative learning opportunities for members of the NEACWCD, works closely with partners on child welfare transformation efforts and oversees agency programs that seek to engage youth as leaders with lived expertise in change initiatives. In addition, she serves as a resource to member agencies on child welfare policy and practice.

Prior to joining NEACWCD, Maria served as Chief Operating Officer for Waypoint, a social service agency providing evidence-based interventions to vulnerable populations in the state of New Hampshire. Maria oversaw the implementation of 28 distinct programs in the areas of early childhood development, child welfare, homeless youth, human trafficking, behavioral health, supervised visitation, and senior home care. Maria led a vibrant management team, building staff capacity through development, coaching and mentoring. A variety of evidence-based practices were implemented at the agency during her tenure including Healthy Families America, Parents as Teachers, Parent Child Psychotherapy, Reflective Supervision, Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Assertive Community Reinforcement Approach. Maria has led agencies and system change efforts focused on child abuse prevention and intervention, adolescent addiction treatment and adolescent behavioral health.

Outside of work, Maria enjoys most outdoor activities including camping, kayaking, and days at the beach. She is most often seen outside walking her two dogs or sitting outside reading a book.