Maria Stecker is the Grants Manager for the Longwood Foundation. In this role, she manages the grantmaking processes and analyzes proposals to find the best philanthropic investments for the Foundation. These grants aim to address community challenges by accelerating success in the nonprofit sector. Maria previously worked for the Delaware Department of Education where she launched and led educator talent development and management initiatives. These efforts focused on ensuring all children, especially those from low-income families and children of color, had equitable access to great teachers and leaders. Prior to that, she was part of the team that opened the Community Education Building and served as a Teach for America Delaware Corps Member, teaching middle and high school science in Wilmington. Maria holds a BS in Policy & Management from Carnegie Mellon University and a MAT in Secondary Teaching from Wilmington University. She lives in Glasgow with her husband and son.