Dr. María C. Pabón Gautier is the Chief People Officer at Project for Pride in Living in Minneapolis, MN. In this role, she leads race equity strategies and programming, human resources, talent development, administration/operations, and the career readiness division. María holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Puerto Rico. With over 20 years of experience, she has dedicated her career to training, coaching, teaching, and conducting research to develop evidence-informed practices. 

Her extensive experience spans nonprofit organizations, higher education, for-profit sectors, K-12 education, and government agencies, all with a focus on supporting underserved and marginalized communities. Her work uses an interdisciplinary and diverse approach, with a commitment to advancing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) in various settings. 

Prior to her current role, María served as the Vice President of Equity and Inclusion at St. Olaf College. Throughout her career, she has been guided by principles of community engagement, the philosophy of “by us for us,” and a foundation in research, measurement, and evaluation. 

She is particularly focused on race equity and strengths-based approaches, ensuring that communities of color are at the center of development and decision-making processes. Her work aims to foster inclusive environments where all individuals can thrive and contribute meaningfully.