Dr. Maria Gross currently is a math and leadership teacher in a project-based aviation high school. Maria strives to provide all students educational opportunities. Her career took her from graduating as a Purdue University chemical engineer, working in a Minnesota paper mill, designing/constructing environmental remediation processes, teaching middle school science and high school math, leading K-12 math and science departments, and preparing future teachers as an Associate Dean in teacher education. Maria has co-written three books on leadership, as well as chapters and articles on trauma-informed teaching, international perspectives on educational creativity, and developing cultural competence. Personally, Maria and her family have hosted seven youth exchange students from around the world. She and her husband enjoy connecting with their extended family through international adventures via travel and cooking. Maria has served on local and international education-based non-profit boards, including Palmer Scholars (Tacoma WA) and Lilliir Education Project (South Sudan). Her vocation of hands-on learning and avocation of international adventuring feed her passion for VOCFINU.