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Maria started her career in Binghamton, New York where she worked with pregnant and parenting teen girls during graduate school. From there she worked at UMDNJ in Newark, specializing in conduct disordered youth and eventually moved to the Morristown Medical Center where she worked on reunifying families after separation due to abuse and neglect. Ultimately, she took a position as the crisis coordinator for behavioral health at Morristown Medical Center. This challenging role centered on coordinating care for individuals admitted to the emergency room with mental health concerns. Maria worked in this job from 2011, through the pandemic, and eventually semi-retired in 2022 at which time she began her second act.
Working out had become a priority to manage the stress of her role at the Morristown Medical Center. Through The Max Challenge of Flemington, Maria met DJ Wright, owner of Wright and Ford Funeral home. When Maria decided to leave Morristown, DJ offered her an opportunity to become a family ambassador.
In this capacity, she helps families plan highly personalized life celebrations for loved ones who have passed on. The services, meant to celebrate life, are unique and reflect the passions and interests of those being celebrated. During the visitation period, music from the individual’s playlist plays in the background and there are videos of special moments along with displays of favorite and meaningful items. Some recent celebrations included a one hundred and two-year-old farmer whose beloved tractor was parked outside the funeral home, a grandson who played live music for his grandmother, and a display including a favorite canoe for a nature enthusiast.
“The idea is not to make death scary but to learn what the person had to teach us and to celebrate their life.”
In September of this past year, Maria became a life celebrant. In this capacity, she cannot only plan individual services but preside over life celebrations for families who prefer not to have a religious ceremony.
Because of her mental health background, her expertise in working with people, and her longtime membership at Max Fitness, DJ Wright again sought Maria’s help when he acquired two Max Fitness locations (Flemington and Clinton). The signature program of “the MAX” is a 10-week challenge which combines group fitness, expert nutrition coaching, and unmatched support. In her role as a Chief Experience Guide, Maria meets with potential gym members to learn about their fitness and wellness goals so that the program can be tailor-made to meet their needs. “It doesn’t matter if you are an elite athlete or just beginning your fitness journey, there’s a place for you at the MAX.” She encourages members to embrace “the 45 minutes just to focus on you.” Beyond the fitness and nutrition benefits, Maria loves the family feel of the MAX. “Everyone is rooting for everyone to reach their goals.”
What Maria loves most about both of her positions is the focus on helping people. “For me, it’s all about taking care of people and making sure they get their needs met.”
In her spare hours (ha ha), Maria enjoys spending time with her husband, two adult children, and her dog, Ava. She is passionate about travel and loves seeing new places, trying unique cuisines, and learning about different cultures. She continues to be a dedicated MAX fitness member and participates in, and often organizes, their in-center special events and outreach efforts.
She became involved with Impact100 when Bonnie Duncan approached DJ Wright at Wright and Ford Funeral Home to sponsor a woman for the inaugural year of the organization. As an impact 100 member, Maria served on the grant review committee and enjoyed learning about the amazing desires and efforts of the non-profits in Hunterdon County. She loved being part of the inaugural grant award process and is looking forward to 2025!
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