Maria S. Gomez works to align the Schattner Foundation with innovative health, research, and education programs that support people’s wellbeing and improve their health. Maria brings a passion for healthcare leadership and service to IMI’s board. She was the founder, president, and CEO of Mary’s Center, a federally qualified health center providing primary healthcare, education, and workforce development opportunities for families in the District of Columbia (DC) metropolitan region. Under Maria’s leadership, Mary’s Center’s annual budget grew to $80 million, allowing the organization to serve 60,000 people each year in DC and Maryland.
She is well known for innovating long-standing health and social support programs, and for brokering partnerships between corporations and the non-profit sector. Maria is one of the region’s strongest civic leaders. In 2012, she was selected by President Barrack Obama to receive the Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation’s second-highest civilian honor. Maria is frequently recognized for her role in Washington’s healthcare system and is a long-time health advisor to the mayor’s office. She has served on the transition teams of several District leaders and is a member of the Mayor’s Commission on Healthcare Systems Transformations, which recommends strategies and investments to improve healthcare in DC.
In 2018, the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health named Maria as one of the 75 Most Influential Alumni, and the Georgetown School of Nursing and Health Studies recognized her for 30 Years of Innovative Leadership. Maria is the recipient of numerous awards including the Washington Post’s Excellence in Nonprofit Management Award and Large Employer Leadership Award, the DC Mayor’s Office Public Health Award, and the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Hispanic Business Hall of Fame Award.
Maria also serves as a board member for the Washington Housing Conservancy, Home Care Partners, Georgetown Day School, Suburban Hospital, and the Smithsonian American Women History Initiative.
She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Georgetown University and a Master of Public Health from the University of California at Berkeley.
