Ana Maria has over 20 years’ experience in community development and community engagement of working with non-profit in BC and international organizations such as UNICEF, World Health Organization leading the administration team, health promotion projects and public relations in Colombia.
She was a founder, president and vice-president of Casa-Americas Society and vice-president of the El-Dorado Cooperative in BC, also was the vice-president of the Board of the North Shore Multicultural Society, now Impact North Shore. She has worked with AMSSA (Affiliation of Multicultural Social Service Agencies), Association of Neighbourhood House of BC, ISS of BC, she was part of the Homelessness Seniors Community of Practice with GVRD Steering Committee, Co-Chair of the Spanish Steering Committee with Parent Support Services of BC, Advisory Committee for Resilience BC.
Ana Maria holds an MA in Latin American Studies, and graduate certificates in International Development, Teaching and Learning from SFU and Public Policy from United Way Public Policy Institute. She is the Manager of Strategic Initiatives, Community Engagement and Development with Burnaby Family Life, she manages the Burnaby Intercultural Planning Table /Burnaby Local Immigration Partnership and the Burnaby Together Coalition Against Racism and Hate (BT). The BIPT foster engagement between 37 organizations (BIPT) to enhance collaboration, coordination, and strategic planning at the local level to make Burnaby more welcoming and inclusive. The Burnaby Together (BT) foster engagement of 27 organizations to ensure Burnaby community is mobilized to implement racism and hate protocols; and engage community members and community stakeholders in dialogues and consultations by increasing awareness through anti-racism education opportunities.
Originally from Colombia she settled in BC 24 years ago as uninvited guest in the unceded, ancestral and traditional territories of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations.