Ms. Maria Gomez is the founder, President, and CEO of Mary’s Center, a community health organization that provides health care, education and social services in the DC metropolitan region. The goal of Mary’s Center is to provide healthcare early and throughout the individuals’ lifecycle, support families and individuals in their own community and guide individuals to move up the economic ladder through education and training opportunities.
Under Maria’s leadership, Mary’s Center has grown from an initial budget of $250,000 serving 200 participants at a basement in 1988 to an annual budget of $61 million serving close to 50,000 individuals from all over the globe at five medical locations, two senior wellness centers, and a program office throughout DC and Maryland.
Prior to establishing Mary’s Center, Maria was a public health nurse at the D.C. Department of Health. She also worked at the Red Cross, where she directed community education programming and disaster services, and at the Visiting Nurses Association. Originally from Colombia, Maria immigrated with her mother at age 13 and attended DC Public Schools. Maria obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Georgetown University and a Master’s in Public Health from the University of California at Berkeley.
Maria is frequently recognized for her role in the nation’s capital health care system and has become a recurrent health advisor for the District of Columbia Mayor’s office.