“Strategy architect, operational excellence wizard, and community advocate”
“Strategy architect, operational excellence wizard, and community advocate”
As Deputy Director, Teresita Maz helps Healthy Places by Design maintain high-quality, equitable, and mission-centric practices through operational excellence, financial strategy, and human resources. She co-leads marketing, branding, and business development strategies and fosters organizational innovation. Teresita serves as a key driver of collaborative senior leadership, contributing to the advancement of Healthy Places by Design as a prominent national leader in the healthy communities field.
Over her 20-year career, Teresita has focused on creating impact where it is most needed by taking organizations to the next level of excellence, developing strategic partnerships, and working with communities to create change. Equity and social justice are at the forefront of her leadership.
Prior to joining Healthy Places by Design, Teresita was the Vice President of Operations at the Blue Cross NC Foundation where she oversaw core functions including finance, grantmaking operations, and compliance. Teresita institutionalized “operational excellence” as an organizational practice to foster a culture of continuous improvement and deliver an exceptional experience to partners.
Previously, Teresita was the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Carolina Small Business Development Fund where she implemented strategic priorities for organizational performance, growth, and innovation, and managed strategic partnerships to drive economic development activities in underserved communities. She was also a strategic consultant for nonprofit and philanthropic organizations supporting operational excellence, stakeholder experience, capacity building, fundraising, and organizational strategy and effectiveness.
Teresita earned a BS in biology from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, Colombia, and an MBA from Florida Institute of Technology. She is a Project Management Professional (PMP)® and a Lean Six Sigma/Process Improvement Practitioner. Beyond her professional roles, Teresita is committed to community service. She is a board advisor for a Kenya-based NGO and a board member at PEAK Grantmaking, where she co-chairs the Strategy and Organizational Effectiveness Committee. PEAK Grantmaking is a national community of philanthropy professionals dedicated to advancing equitable, effective grantmaking practices.