María T Palmer
Visionary Leadership for Orange County
Who is Maria Palmer?
A few of her roles in Orange County
Maria with her son, Cristóbal, Carrboro Council Member
Immigrant
A success story
Maria came to the US in 1978 and has established deep roots in Orange County raising three children here. She has served on the State Board of Education and the Chapel Hill Town Council.
Education Leader
Pioneer
A pioneer of bilingual education and the first latina to serve on the NC State Board of Education, Maria has been a teacher, a principal, and a college administrator.
Advocate
Fighter for Justice
An NAACP Trailblazer Award winner, Maria has built coalitions and worked for social justice with grassroots organizations in our county since 1994 when she helped organize the first Fiesta del Pueblo, held at the Lincoln Center.
As Multicultural Director at NC A&T, Maria established the first LGBTQ programs as well as a chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE).
Faith Leader
Pastor and Counselor
From building a bilingual faith community to accompanying families in their most vulnerable moments, María has provided leadership and support to countless families in Orange County.
Here leadership was recognized at the national level in 2004 when she was invited to preach at the National Cathedral in Washington DC.
Community Engagement
Builder, Leader, Educator
Community Builder
Maria has worked on Habitat for Humanity projects and has led local groups to reconstruct housing in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. She works as hard at building community as she does at building housing.
Community Leader
With both children and adults, Maria has spent decades building local commitment to justice and extending the boundaries of the beloved community.
Community Educator
Maria has expanded access to education for preschoolers to senior adults through her advocacy for education at all levels. A former teacher, principal, and State Board of Education member, her legacy is enhanced education for all.
Community Voices: Stories of Positive Contribution
Discover how Maria Palmer’s vision for Orange County drives impactful initiatives to enhance daily living.
Maria Palmer’s Commitment to a Thriving Orange County
Maria came to Orange County in 1994 and has invested four decades in developing leadership and working for a vibrant future. She has served in leadership roles at both the local level and with the state of North Carolina where she has worked to empower citizens through education, advocacy, and policy development.
Recognition for Creative Immigrant Leadership
From December 2016 to August 2017 the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC honored Maria Palmer for her role in opening doors for immigrants and building inclusive community in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina. An exhibit entitled Gateways highlighted her contributions to expanding economic development and facilitating acceptance and understanding.
Leading Change through Community-Focused Action
Maria has defended our right to vote and promoted political engagement for the good of the community.
To build strong engagement requires listening to diverse community voices and welcoming their concerns, spending countless hours in meeting the needs of new voters as well as elderly citizens needing support to get to the polls. Her commitment to increasing voter engagement has helped bring needed voices to local and state policymakers.
