I really enjoy working alongside new and brilliant people for each proposal, getting their perspective and seeing how they approach a problem. I am always learning. Something I love about our proposal team is that we are always eager to lend a hand and help each other. Although we are scattered around the country, we try to meet in person every other month. We communicate frequently and have cultivated great working relationships and friendships.

I am always proud when the team crosses the finish line and submits a compelling proposal, especially when there are hurdles or challenges along the way. For example, one proposal effort lasted six months, but our team stayed focused and ultimately developed a winning proposal.

When I'm not catering to my spoiled dachshund's every whim, I embroider flowers and characters onto hats and T-shirts and give them to friends and family. I started learning embroidery during the pandemic because I needed an indoor hobby. I also love to play tennis, although it's a challenge with pickleballers taking over the courts.

My younger sister and I share the same first name. My family distinguishes between us by using our second names: I am Maria Paula, and she is Maria Virginia, or Maria V.

I am eager to continue developing my skills and contributing to the team, with the goal of growing into a senior proposal manager in the future. I hope to get my Association of Proposal Management Professionals Foundations certification this year. I find it very rewarding to face new challenges and continuously learn from each project.