Born and raised in Thibodaux, Maria graduated from Louisiana State University and moved to New Orleans where she became an educator.  In 1995, she lived in Costa Rica where she taught English as a Second Language.  Maria became a resident of St. Tammany Parish when she moved across the lake to Mandeville in 2003 and then began her career as a Licensed Insurance Agent.  In 2006, Maria opened her own agency, Fleur-de-lis Insurance, as a Health and Life Insurance Broker.  In 2017, Fleur-de-lis Insurance opened a second location in New Orleans.  As a broker, Maria focuses her practice on advising her clients on employee benefits, individual and group health insurance, Medicare planning, Life Insurance, Long Term Care Insurance and Disability Income Insurance.      

 

Maria is a member of Power of Women whose goal is to bring women in business together to empower each other.  She is also a member of American Business Women’s Association, Crescent City Connections Express Network.  Currently, Maria is participating in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business program.  Maria served as a member of the Board of Directors of the St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce in 2017-2019 and has been an active chamber member serving on special committees including the Live Better Committee and Small Business Council.  She further served as President of Professional Women of St. Tammany in 2013-2014, whose mission is to promote and support all women in the Parish through networking, information, scholarships and workshops.  Maria is also a graduate of the 2016 Leadership St. Tammany program, an organization which runs a ten-month program for a select few emerging and established community leaders to enhance and develop their leadership skills and increase their knowledge of St. Tammany Parish.  Additionally, Maria has followed her passion for animal rescue and now volunteers as a member of the Board of Directors for the Northshore Humane Society.