MARIA PUGLISI
PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT
Maria Puglisi is dedicated to connecting people to pressing societal issues that demand a purposeful public response. She is a versatile practitioner known for her ability to assess needs and find creative solutions that build and maximize the assets of mission-driven organizations. Her forte is developing fully integrated marketing, communication, and operational plans that strengthen capabilities and achieve goals.
In 2000, Maria established a consulting practice after a decade of service as a nonprofit executive. Today, Right Tree Consulting is a trusted training and technical assistance provider to foundations, nonprofits, and government agencies. The firm's customized business processes and management tools create more effective, stronger, and unified organizations.
For more than two decades, Maria has worked extensively within the child welfare arena consulting with private and government agencies in various capacities, including strategic planning, community engagement, communications, event management, training, and marketing campaigns. For three years, Casey Family Programs engaged Maria to design and facilitate workshops and train-the-trainer sessions that introduced social workers and stakeholders to the organization's practice models. She especially enjoys her work as a communications coach helping young people find their voices as they develop writing and presentation skills to confidently share their personal stories from center stage.
Maria regularly works with nonprofit coalitions and partnerships to improve their collaborative efforts. She is currently supporting the Foster Youth Pre-College Collective to address the education opportunity gap for California's youth in foster care. Previously, she led a strategic visioning process for the Fostering Youth Success Alliance focused on assessing and improving operations, infrastructure, branding, and statewide advocacy initiatives in New York. She also consults with Welfare Rights Initiative at Hunter College/CUNY to support their Policy Work Group's mission to improve access to higher education as a pathway out of poverty. Previously, she designed and managed the National Foster Care Month campaign working with 17 partner organizations to generate unprecedented media coverage and support for children in care.
Prior to establishing her consulting practice, Maria was a senior development officer at several New York nonprofits securing more than $10 million from individual and institutional donors. She was an award-winning cable television and sports marketing executive before shifting to the nonprofit sector. Her early exposure to corporate start-ups and emerging business models informs her ongoing work helping human service organizations adapt to change and prepare for growth.
Maria holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Maryland and resides in New York City.