For over 20 years, Maralee Gutierrez Cruz has been a noteworthy leader in the nonprofit and advocacy space. Through her commitment to serving others, she has worked to ensure that communities both here and abroad, have access to the vital resources they need to thrive.  

Prior to founding Comunidad in 2018, she worked as the Director of a faith-based non-profit serving a Latino community in Alexandria, VA; she liaised with the Cameroonian government to advocate for vulnerable communities; and, later consulted the U.S. government on efforts to combat human trafficking. 

Influenced by career experiences and world travels, having lived in four different countries across three continents, she developed a unique perspective when it comes to serving alongside communities with limited or no access to resources. She prioritizes community empowerment by locking arms with local leaders; she believes that when provided with a platform, local leaders can transform their neighborhoods. These experiences influenced Maralee’s founding of Comunidad.

Maralee holds a B.S. in Business Management from the University of Central Florida and completed a Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate from Georgetown University. She is fluent in three languages and currently resides in Falls Church, Virginia.