Maria Ramos-Cuaya

Maria Ramos-Cuaya interned at the Forum with the education team in 2013. Prior to joining the Forum, Maria worked for the Rafael Cintron Ortiz Latino Cultural Center as well as the Latin American Recruitment and Educational Services program at the University of Illinois. She served as manager for Costco Wholesale for 15 years and has been involved in various sectors of community development.

Maria works as the Operation H.E.L.P. Coordinator at the Forum. Operation H.E.L.P. is a coalition of 14 non-profit organizations, coordinated by the Latino Policy Forum, helping families impacted by foreclosure in communities across northern Illinois. Operation H.E.L.P. is funded by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office with funds from the National Foreclosure Settlement.

Maria has served as a volunteer, and is currently a Board Member and Treasurer for The Anhelo Project. The Anhelo Project is a non-profit organization that funds the Dream Gala Scholarship Fund, which is awarded to low income undocumented undergraduate and graduate students that are in pursuit of completing their degrees in higher education.

Maria also serves as a volunteer Child Advocate for the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. The Young Center, based at the University of Chicago law school, is the only organization in the country appointed as Child Advocate (guardian ad litem) in immigration matters involving child trafficking victims and other vulnerable unaccompanied children.

Maria received a bachelor’s degree in Latino and Latin American Studies and Math and Computer Science. She also has a master’s in Urban Planning and Public Policy. Both degrees are from the University of Illinois at Chicago.