Maria has a multidisciplinary educational and professional background that includes business studies, consulting, and art history, and has experience working with government authorities, cultural foundations, museums, commercial galleries, and artists' studios. Prior to joining AEA, Maria worked as a Summer Analyst at actori GmbH, a strategy consultancy for culture, education, and entertainment based in Munich, Germany. Her various projects and assignments included the organizational restructure of a cultural foundation, development of a cultural infrastructure plan for a German regional authority, and research of contemporary approaches to ecological sustainability within the cultural sector. Maria also has first hand experience working within the creative industries as a studio assistant to Austrian artist Brigitte Kowanz, as a gallery assistant at Georg Kargl Fine Arts gallery, and as a tour guide at Ars Electronica Center.

Maria is currently completing an MSc in Strategy, Innovation, and Management Control at the Vienna University of Economics and Business, where she also completed a BSc in International Business Administration specializing in not-for-profit management and public sector innovation. She also holds a BA in Art History from the University of Vienna. 

Maria lives in Vienna and speaks German, English, and Italian.