A talent for developing talent
At Hot Studio, Maria built a thriving design practice by hiring and promoting outstanding creative talent. Today, former "Hotties" can be found leading teams at Adobe, Google, McKinsey, Airbnb, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and more.
Finding a bigger stage
After Hot's acquisition, Maria led global teams at Facebook and Autodesk, building digital products for millions worldwide. Along the way, she began speaking at design and business conferences around the world, including TEDx, Bloomberg, and Mind the Product. Maria also published her third and most recent book,
Rise of the DEO: Leadership by Design, which has now been translated into several languages.
Passing the torch
Today, through Hot Studio, Maria's working to support the next creative leaders who will transform business. Through
workshops,
coaching, and Maria's uncanny blend of wit and wisdom, she's helping unlock the potential hidden in executives and their teams.
Maria lives in Oakland, CA with her husband and two kids. She teaches design at California College of the Arts, at which she is also a trustee. A member of several non-profit advisory boards, Maria also paints portraits of Prince on denim jackets in her spare time. They are—you guessed it—hot.
