Maria was born in Quito, Ecuador but grew up in Queens, NYC - the most diverse place in the United States! Maria started to fall in love with food & wine while studying abroad in Spain and traveling to numerous cities, including Porto, Portugal, where she visited her first winery. Since that first tasting room, she has eagerly sought out new winemakers from close-to-home regions like Virginia all the way to Tuscany to the Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc hotspots of New Zealand.

Before transitioning to food & wine, Maria was the Vice President of Global Communications at a currency broker on Wall Street. Maria has always been committed to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives and was nominated Co-Chairman of the company's Charity Committee. Maria spearheaded initiatives to give back to the local community by securing partnerships with non-profit organizations in the tri-state area. After several years in finance, in 2018, she decided to follow her palate to the wine industry, joining a renowned PR agency in New York City, as a Senior Account Executive. During her time at the agency, Maria led integrated communications campaigns for institutions and brands in food & wine worldwide.

In 2020, Maria launched a passion project with Lydia Richards called Hispanics in Wine, a social space dedicated to showcasing Hispanic/Latinx roots in the beverage and hospitality industries. Hispanics in Wine is a team where we feature wine professionals, discuss the changes we want to see in the industry, and inspire the next generation of Hispanics/Latinx wine professionals. Today, Maria's time is split between NYC and Washington DC. She is a Public Relations Consultant who offers her expertise to start-ups and established brands in food and wine. Maria is committed to supporting businesses that share Hispanics in Wine’s mission of empowering women and amplifying the voices of the BIPOC, Hispanic, and LatinX.

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