Maria Gray-Gerhart
Facilitator
Maria's Focus
Maria empowers audiences through engaging talks and impactful art and writing, drawing on a PhD in Educational Leadership and Administration from Indiana State University.
As the author of "Always Sunshine Yellow," released in October 2023, her contributions center on leadership development and personal growth.
Her work integrates academic insights with practical strategies, fostering meaningful connections and inspiring change.
Education
- Franklin College, BA in Secondary Education/English
- Indiana Wesleyan University, MEd and K-12 Principal Licensure
- Indiana State University, PhD in Educational Leadership
Maria's Story
Maria has always been an educator.
She has spent her career as a high school English teacher and a Principal and served as Director of Training for an affordable housing management company.
She was diagnosed with Crohn's disease in 2001, her first year of teaching, and she has battled the chronic illness and its effects more in recent years.
After losing her position due to an employer's lack of support during a difficult season of her illness, she became an informal advocate for those dealing with chronic health conditions.
She is a published author and artist. Always searching out the best in bad situations, Maria writes and creates for herself as much as for others.
Being a poet has been a part of her survival and her pursuit of hope. Her poetry instills a tenacious resilience to always chase the goodness of the world-to root oneself in joy.