Born and raised in Cincinnati, Mary has been involved in the nonprofit sector her entire life. While earning a BA in International Service at The American University, she worked extensively on housing and homelessness issues in Washington D.C. She went on to study urban and regional planning for developing areas, earning an MS from Florida State.
While working in Fairfax County, VA on non-motorized transportation efforts, Mary met Angelo Maker and learned of his dream of returning home and building a new nation. After traveling to Sudan in 2009, she decided to devote her time to helping create Abukloi Secondary School and other community development projects in South Sudan.
Mary has two grown children and lives with her husband Scott in Florida.