Maria brings a wealth of experience and dedication to the Good Shepherd community, having been an integral member since 2015, when she reaffirmed her faith. With a M.A. in Forensic Psychology and a background in non-profit leadership, Maria has demonstrated her passion for service through various volunteer roles within Good Shepherd, including Council President, Small Group Facilitator, and Deacon.

Her vision as a Connections Director is to help people connect to God, to each other, and to resources that will help increase the activity of the Holy Spirit in their lives, leading to a deeper and more intimate connection to Jesus.

Off campus, Maria enjoys a good documentary, a great fashion find, and a fantastic book (or ten). Maria is married to her husband Jeff Gillen, who also works for Good Shepherd, and they were adopted by a goofy retired racing Greyhound named Champ. Maria and Jeff maximize the beautiful California weather by grilling food in their backyard most of the year, while Champ scouts for anything that drops on the ground. When the weather turns you can find this trio curled up in the couch with a good movie and lots of blankets.