In 1999 Maria founded the organization’s Arizona-based community health programs – reaching over 45,000 Hispanic and refugee families. Maria used a cultural lens to co-author and implement curriculums on nutrition, oral health, chronic disease prevention and management, and more. In 2022 she became the organization’s Senior Program Director, overseeing strategy and implementation for Esperança’s programs in Arizona and in 6 other countries around the world. Her progressive approach to preventative health programming has been recognized across the world; Maria has presented for the United States Congress, at two World Health Organization (WHO) global forums and was chosen for the Aspen-Aetna Healthy Communities Fellowship in 2019. Maria is a graduate of the 2022 cohort of Valle del Sol’s Hispanic Leadership Institute.

Outside of Esperança, Maria serves as a member for the Arizona State University College of Health Solutions Community Advisory Board, for Mayo Clinic Community Advisory Board, and the Health Improvement Partnership of Maricopa County.