​Maria’s love of horses began at an early age when she volunteered to work with the U.S. Park Police’s mounted unit in New York City. Throughout childhood, Maria observed horses had a clear ability to convey a message. Though she received her MBA and worked in a corporate environment for many years, Maria never lost her passion for horses. In 2012, she opened Back Fields Farm, LLC: a twenty-acre horse boarding and training facility in Davidsonville, MD. Here she began working on the Horse and People Project.  From the farm’s inspirational backdrop, Maria continued to expand the idea that joining with horses can lead us to a place of sincere and purposeful communication, increased self-awareness, and better leadership.