Maria leads the zero carbon industries team within the U.S. Policy and Advocacy program at Breakthrough Energy. As a co-architect of Breakthrough Energy’s policy agenda, she crafts and executes strategies that accelerate the drive towards a net-zero economy. Her team partners with business leaders, philanthropy, advocates, policymakers, and startups to champion policy solutions that reduce the cost of clean energy and drive the widespread global adoption of cutting-edge clean energy technologies.

Prior to joining Gates Ventures and Breakthrough Energy, Maria held roles in local and state government, most recently serving as an appointee at the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection working on development and execution of state climate change preparedness programs. Maria also held earlier positions at the Natural Resources Defense Council and the U.S. Green Building Council working on international climate policy and finance. She holds a master’s degree in environmental management from Yale University and a bachelor’s degree in sustainability studies from the University of Florida. Maria is based out of Breakthrough Energy’s Washington DC office.