María Alvarez is the Executive Director of the New York StateWide Senior Action Council and Brooklyn-wide Interagency Council on Aging. These organizations strive to improve the quality of life of New Yorkers of all ages through consumer leadership, advocacy, and empowerment.  

Under her leadership, StateWide  has played an important role in bringing awareness to the importance of economic security for elders, age friendly banking, enacting the New York State Observation Status Law, the Safe Patient Handling Law, the re-funding of the New York State Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage, and other important policies in the state and the nation. Other important issues include organizing the CNY Health Task Force Project to overcome health care barriers for Central New York residents, as well as co-leading the New York State Home Care Crisis Campaign, which strives to find solutions to the workforce shortage in the home care industry in New York.

Maria has worked with senior citizens and advocacy groups as an organizer, advocate, and director of housing and caregivers programs for over 30 years. She has designed and implemented educational, social service, and leadership programs for older adults.

In 2019, she was awarded the Advocates Award by the New York State Society on Aging. In 1995, Maria had the honor of being named one of the New York State Delegates to the White House Conference on Aging. She participates in a variety of advisory boards, boards of directors, and coalitions conducive to consumer advocacy and empowerment.

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Marquette University and a Master’s Degree in Non-Profit Management from the New School for Social Research where she was a Sloan Fellow.