Welcome Maria, DFWYAS’s Community & Operations Coordinator

This moment means a lot to us. As DFW Young & Social continues to grow, we have reached a stage where we need not just helping hands, but a team that shares the same mission we do. We need people who care deeply about what this community stands for and are ready to invest real time and heart into making it everything it can be.

We are thrilled to share that long-time member, Discord moderator, and your favorite paint instructor, Maria, is officially joining DFW Young & Social as our Full-Time Community & Operations Coordinator.

Her role continues the work of building a sustainable, organized, and creative foundation so that our members can keep enjoying the same warmth, energy, and connection that have always defined this space.

Getting to Know Maria

We wanted to give everyone a chance to know Maria a little better, so we asked her a few questions about her background, passions, and what this new role means to her. Her answers reminded us exactly why she is such a great fit.

Maria moved to Texas from Colombia about ten years ago. While her background is in biomedical engineering, creativity has always been her compass.

“I’ve always carried creative projects with me wherever I go. Over the past year, I’ve pivoted toward education, art, and systems design where I get to blend my analytical side with my passion for creativity.”

That blend of structure and imagination is exactly what we were looking for in this role. She is someone who can organize an entire system and then turn around and lead an entire painting class of 30 people. It is a rare mix of precision and artistry that feels right at home here.

Music has been part of her story for as long as she can remember. She describes the piano as her first language, the place she returns to when she needs to think, create, or just breathe.

“I carry that same sense of rhythm and emotion into everything I do. For me, creativity isn’t just a hobby, but a way to understand and express life.”

That same rhythm and emotion are what drew her to DFW Young & Social in the first place.

“It offers endless opportunities to get involved while also creating space to make things happen. The mission and values really resonate with me, especially the focus on creativity, connection, and making experiences accessible to everyone.”

If you have ever met Maria at a class or social, you already know how calm, genuine, and intentional she is. She told us that what stands out most about this community is how thoughtful it feels, how every event seems to carry a sense of purpose.

“Every event feels like a true labor of love. I’ve met people from so many different walks of life, and I’ve always felt safe being myself here.”

Maria’s new role focuses on preserving that same energy as we grow, creating systems that make connection easier, not colder.

“At first, it will be a lot of studying and analyzing where operations are at the moment. My ethos is always to work first with what we already have and bring in new tools or systems only when needed. Then I will fully implement new ideas to help lighten the load for Marco and Alexi so we can keep growing in a healthy, organic way.”

That thoughtful, measured approach is exactly what we love about her. It reflects how we have always run DFW Young & Social: growing with purpose, not just for the sake of it.

When we asked what she hopes people feel when they meet her, she smiled before answering.

“I hope they feel welcome, safe, and cared for. Everyone has something valuable to offer, and I hope they feel encouraged to be themselves, because that is when the most meaningful connections happen.”

It is hard to imagine a better way to sum up what we want every person in this community to experience.

What It Means for Us, Personally

From the beginning, Alexi and I have worn every hat you can imagine: organizers, hosts, instructors, builders, repair techs, social media managers and much more. It has been an incredible experience, but not something we can sustain forever. Growth means learning to share the work with people who care as deeply as we do.

Maria has been part of DFW Young & Social for a very long time. She has been a regular, a moderator, and one of our first instructors. We have watched her lead with compassion, and we have always known she carried something rare.

This role represents trust and partnership. It is the beginning of a new chapter where Maria helps grow how people experience DFW Young & Social while carrying forward the same mission we have held from day one:

Ensuring culture, connection, and experiences are accessible for everyone.

Maria, we are so happy you are here. You have been part of this story for a long time, and now you are helping us write its next chapter.