Maria currently serves as Director of International Affairs Strategy and Communication at San Diego State University.

Prior to SDSU, Maria was president and founder of Superb Communications a consulting leadership and executive communications agency.

She is the author of Bridge Builders: How Superb Communicators Get What They Want in Business and in Life, named as one of “60 Great Communication and Leadership Books Written by Women” in INC. Her “Bridge Builder Way” philosophy has been adopted by hundreds of leaders and dozens of organizations, nationally and internationally.

Maria’s ability to translate transdisciplinary research into practical solutions and to build bridges through the power of storytelling has made her a sought after educator, consultant, and speaker across the U.S., Mexico, and Europe. She has spoken at fortune 500 companies, universities, as well as education, technology, and innovation conferences.