Originally from the community of Maxcanú, Yucatán, Maria is licensed in archaeology through the Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán where she completed her thesis “Rituales de Subsistencia en Chan Chocholá: un studio etnoarqueológico.” She has her masters in anthropological sciences, option archaeology through the Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán with her project “El fuego en la vida cotidiana de los grupos domésticos en el área maya.”

Maria has taught diverse courses and given workshops and lectures related to the cultural and natural heritage of Yucatan to high school and college students. She has completed ethnographic work in various communities throughout the state of Yucatan. She imparted a conference titled “Entre lo sagrado y lo profane: entoarqueología de la cocina maya-yucateca,” in the Universidad Tecnológica del Poniente during the first Foro de Cocina Prehispánica in February, 2016. She has participated in conferences and simposiums such as the II Simposio de Cultura Maya Ichkaantijoo held in the INAH-Yucatan center library in the city of Merida in December of 2015 where she presented as a co-author of the paper titled “Desde el palacio: heterarquía y diferenciación socioeconómica en Sihó, Yucatán, en el period Clásico.” She is passionate about the traditions of her community as well as the rich gastronomy of the pueblos of Yucatan.

In PICY, Maria is a professor of Maya culture.  She collaborates with the development and supervision of independent academic projects in rural communities throughout peninsula of Yucatán. She is also the liaison between our institution and different individuals and institutions throughout the region.