María is from Mexico and grew up in Logan, Utah. She graduated from Utah State University with a degree in global communications where she found a passion for the nonprofit sector. In 2015, after graduating, she moved to Salt Lake City to begin her career. She has 7 years of experience in community engagement and advocacy and previously worked at Utah Health Policy Project (UHPP) and Association of Utah Community Health (AUCH) as a Community Health Worker. Additionally, she was part of the team with Molina Healthcare as a Community Outreach Coordinator, where she created trusting relationships with organizations and community leaders. Because of her experience and passion for nonprofit organizations, María enrolled at Westminster College to pursue a Master of Arts in Community Leadership (MACL). Since graduating, she hopes to create a co-op with community members. She is passionate about learning more of grassroots projects and is committed to creating place and space for Spanish-speaking community.