Maritza has been with NWCASA since 2019 where she began working as a Bilingual Medical/Legal Advocate. Through that role she was able to provide support to survivors through the court and hospital settings in both English and Spanish. From that work Maritza saw the importance of trauma informed care and providing survivors with their options. Now as the director of advocacy, she is able to support the advocacy team in providing the best survivor care for the community as well as at an institutional level. Maritza runs the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) for the Third District in Cook County. The SART is made up local Law Enforcement, State’s Attorneys, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE’s), and other community partners. Through this group Maritza facilitates case reviews, trainings, and addresses how the disciplines are responding to Sexual Violence in our community. As a native of the Northwest suburbs, this cause and it’s impact is a motivating factor to continue to advocate for survivors and systemic improvements. Maritza is a first generation college graduate and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Peace, Justice and Conflict Studies from DePaul University. Where she was equipped with a wealth of knowledge in restorative justice practices and nonviolence.
