Maria is a program officer for the Information and Media practice, where she works on the Securing Access to Free Expression (SAFE) Initiative and specializes in Central America.

Prior to joining IREX, Maria worked as a program associate at Search for Common Ground, where she supported a project that advanced reconciliation efforts in Colombia following the peace agreement. As part of her work at Search, she supported the development of a youth mapping exercise in targeted municipalities in Colombia to identify key youth organizers and influencers, and how their influence can be used to craft and disseminate high-impact messages that promote reconciliation and dialogue.

Before that, Maria worked as a press information assistant for the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá and as a journalist for Semana, Colombia’s leading political magazine.

Maria holds an MA in international affairs from American University, a BA in social communication and journalism from the Javeriana University, and a BA in music interpretation from the National University of Colombia. She speaks Spanish and English.