Maria is a Senior Vice President at CannonDesign and Chicago office Business Practice Leader. As an architect with three decades of global experience in AEC industry, she has served in project leader and manager roles for major projects for healthcare and corporate clients. Creating high-performing teams with the culture of learning, collaboration, and ownership to deliver high-quality spaces for clients, communities, and our planet is her passion. Building a strong culture around learning, openness, and accountability to deliver on the shared vision has been her mission in leading Chicago office. She has also supported the following causes throughout her career: building safety education, elevating project management knowledge and skillset, promoting equity and inclusion in AEC industry, and supporting emerging professionals career development. She is currently serving on the Advisory Group to guide and select programming for American Institute of Architects Women’s Leadership Summit in Boston. She has received Master of Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley.