MMS Consulting Firm
Maria lives life in the uncomfortable because it pushes her to become a better human and challenges her to think differently. An eternal optimist and enthusiast, she is driven by her passion for goal setting and dreaming big. She has a knack for helping people achieve their goals through her Vision Board Method and Process, Executive Vision Imagery. Her program transfers well in the small business and corporate spaces as she challenges team members and staff to set bold goals and be accountable to them. Maria’s unique perspective is one of a working mother who juggles the day-to-day of being a full time mom with a full time career who tries her hardest to show up for herself in every aspect of her life.
A graduate of the University of Kentucky with a BA in Political Science and a minor in vocal performance and psychology, Maria is a native of Lexington, KY. In 2004, she was crowned the first Hispanic Miss Kentucky and represented her home state at the 2005 Miss America pageant where she was an interview winner. She is also a former Miss Kentucky Teen and a former Kentucky Derby Queen. Her participation in the Miss America Organization completely paid her way through college earning her over $50,000 in scholarships. She currently serves on the national prep team for Miss Indiana USA and Miss Indiana Teen USA as the interview and empowerment coach.
Over the course of her 17+ year corporate career that includes work within the pharmaceutical, automotive, and construction rental equipment industries, she was recognized as a top performer who consistently achieved results. By leveraging her impeccable ability to build and foster long-term relationships, extensive industry and business knowledge, strong sales management and leadership skills, team development expertise became the focus of her tenure.
From fundraising 1.3M dollars for a US Congressional Representative to singing the national anthem in front of 120,000 people, she soaks up every opportunity to talk about her experiences from Miss America to Corporate America as a keynote speaker.
In 2021, Maria left the corporate world to start her own company, MMS Consulting Firm, where the mission is to motivate, empower, connect, and challenge women to become the most authentic version of themselves no matter what phase or stage of life they are in - and to do so unapologetically. She has a passion for building cohesive teams that show up for themselves personally and professionally so that they feel confident, represented, and seen in their work and personal lives.
Her exceptional verbal, presentation and written communication skills have created opportunities that have allowed her to work with diverse groups across three industries in the corporate space and socially as an advocate for working mothers across the globe through her passion for empowering women. The greatest accomplishment she has ever achieved is being wife to her super cool husband, Dan, of almost 20 years, and mom to their three children, Miriam (17), Luke (15), and Jude (8).
You can find Maria across most forms of social media where she shares her passion for the vision imagery process as well as the four people she adores more than anything else.