Today, Maria’s home is in London. Work-life balance is always is tricky for everyone these days and especially for working, single parents. However, Maria still makes time to cook daily meals for her teenage children, “I think it’s the little things that you do, and do consistently, that make a difference and reinforce your appreciation for what you have,’’ says Maria. Moreover, “cooking is a great way for me to relax”. She chose to stay at home with her then small children for the first five years after her move to London. She then went back to school to earn her Master’s degree in Environment, Politics, and Globalization at King’s College London. “Ironically, we did some research on food provenance and the trends around Organic vs GMO produced food which I found particularly fascinating”, recalls Maria. On completion of her degree, she was recruited for a job at the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment. As the Head of Global Signatory Relations and Outreach, she would speak to global institutional investors about the importance of integrating ESG issues into their investment processes. And, after six years, the opportunity at FAIRR came along– “it was perfect- it combined institutional investors with the risks in the food system”, recalls Maria. “And it allowed me to do something I love to do—structuring a team and a strategy around an inspirational mission that really had the potential to change how we produce and consume food around the world today.’’

Though Maria is embarking on her career with her typical passion, she still has another ambition. “I have a secret desire to write a comedy screenplay”, admits Maria. When asked to choose three influential people with whom she would like to dine if given the opportunity, she immediately responded, “Oh that’s easy…Tina Fey, Julia Louis Dreyfus, and Carol Burnett. They have helped revolutionize women in comedy and I would love to hear about the challenges they faced in a male-dominated industry like comedy and TV”.