Maria Salamanca

Maria is running to represent one of Orlando’s most diverse school districts. With Maria’s unique experience at the intersection of political activism and innovation, she will advocate and bring new perspectives to the school board, and she will make decisions that put students and teachers first.

Maria started her career at FWD.us and Education Pioneers before joining Unshackled Ventures, a venture capital early stage fund that invests in immigrant entrepreneurs. Her motivation to run stems from spending time with teachers and students who were in the middle of politically charged policies in Florida and who want to get back to what matters most: preparing the next generation for the future.

She is an immigration reform advocate, community organizer, and founding COO and board member at SwingLeft. She attended UC Berkeley to study political science and legal studies.