Maria is passionate about living a "should-free" life and is fiercely committed to helping change-makers, impactors, and mission-driven professionals do the same. She helps others find their own values-based empowerment that rejects the limitations of "should's" and focuses on the possibilities of "could's". Working from the head and heart, she draws upon her vast experience in politics and policy to create relevant and results-driven trainings and programs. means she knows how things work. From her many experiences as the "first one" or the "only one" she deepened her commitment to building representative inclusion in the public sector. She created We Are The People to support those who want to make a difference with the tools, know-how, and community to step into their own sense of empowerment and become the impactful leaders they seek to be.