Maria’s passion lies in studying how individuals learn, connect, and engage in informal learning environments such as museums, zoos, aquariums, and outdoor spaces. Maria is dedicated to enhancing visitor experiences and improving program effectiveness in informal learning and cultural institutions. She joined Wilder in 2018.
Maria specializes in participatory data collection, qualitative analysis, and large-scale surveys conducted via the web and mail. She has worked on numerous projects in the arts and culture sector, including with the American Swedish Institute, Folk Arts & Cultures program at Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, Minnesota Historical Society, Guthrie Theater, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and more.
Maria holds a master’s degree in museology, with a concentration in museum evaluation, from the University of Washington in Seattle, and a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Minnesota. Prior to joining Wilder Research, Maria worked in a variety of museum departments, including archives, education, and evaluation.
Outside of work, Maria enjoys outdoor adventures, traveling, discovering new coffee shops, and visiting as many museums as possible.
items marked with an * are required
