Maria has joined Food Network Magazine as managing editor on January 11th, 2010.

She was most recently at Glamour magazine as executive managing editor, a position she held since March of 2008.

 Maria was the managing editor of House & Garden from 2006 to 2007, and she was the executive editor of In Style from 2002 to 2005.   She came to In Style from Teen People—having joined the launch team of Teen People in 1997 as deputy editor; she was tapped for the executive editor role in 2001.  

After her 1987 graduation from Auburn University,  Maria worked as a reporter and featured editor at the Covington News in Covington, Georgia.  She moved to New York in 1988 and was the art assistant and then assistant photo editor at Working Woman magazine.  From Working Woman, Maria went to Child magazine where she ultimately became managing editor.  In 1994, she went to YM as managing editor.

Born in Atlanta, Maria moved with her family to Panama City, FL, when she was just a few weeks old, so she considers Panama City, FL, her hometown.   Maria  is a graduate of Bay High School.