Maria Cervania

Maria Cervania was born in Oakland, California. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley. Her professional experience includes working as a biostatistician and consultant; a project manager and business improvement specialist for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, Blind Services, Early Childhood Intervention, and Disability Determination Services; a cross-program improvement specialist and performance management analyst for Adult Protective Services, Child Protective Services, Child Care Licensing, Prevention and Early Intervention, and Statewide Intake; a program specialist and statistician for the Maternal & Child Health Bureau; a research project manager in the Office of Court Administration; and a research associate/epidemiologist at the University of Illinois at Chicago in the School of Public Health's epidemiology and biostatistics departments.[1]

Maria Cervania has not yet completed [the profile publisher]'s 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

Send a message to Maria Cervania asking her to fill out the survey.

If you are Maria Cervania, click here to fill out [the profile publisher]'s 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

Who fills out the candidate survey?

Any candidate running for elected office, at any level, can complete [the profile publisher]'s Candidate Survey. Completing the survey will update the candidate's [the profile publisher] profile, letting voters know who they are and what they stand for.  More than 32,000 candidates have taken [the profile publisher]'s candidate survey since we launched it in 2015. Learn more about the survey here.

You can ask Maria Cervania to fill out this survey by using the button below or emailing maria@mariafornc.com.

Maria Cervania did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

Maria Cervania did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Wake County needs a Commissioner who has the background and experience that is needed to face the many issues that we are struggling with today. My community, professional and life experience has prepared me to be the best choice in this race.

My education is the foundation of a 20-year career in Public Education, Public Health and Government. My undergraduate degree from Berkeley is in Integrative Biology and Physical Education. My graduate work is in Epidemiology and Biostatistics.

Pertinent to the times, I worked in planning and crisis management during the

• early HIV/AIDS epidemic;

• Chicago Heat Wave;

• H1N1 Influenza (Avian Flu) Pandemic.

My experience also includes technical consultation to State, County and Local governments during the Early 2000s Recession and the Great Recession (2007-2009). This was all done keeping in mind the need to preserve as many jobs as possible, save taxpayer dollars and maintain the highest service levels for the people in our communities.

As a balance, I have dedicated my life outside my professional career as a community organizer to support people who do not have a voice get more engaged and bring forth positive change. From advocating for affordable housing, public transit, fair elections, and environmental sustainability to speaking out for the rights of people of color, women, LGBTQIA+ and everyone in our community, my commitment to all for these and many other causes has been life-long and enduring.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

PROTECTING WAKE COUNTY FROM COVID-19 and IMPROVING OUR HEALTHBALANCING OUR COUNTY'S NEEDS WITH THE ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENTPLEDGING TO THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF LIFE

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

COVID-19 and OUR HEALTH

- Optimize our COVID-19 response to accelerate recovery especially in our minority communities.

- Address the barriers that limit access to health care, and support residents who experience health challenges especially in crisis and mental health services and substance abuse treatment.

OUR ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT

- Identify operational redundancies and efficiencies; and strive for cost-conscious budgets.

- Increase transparency and accountability to ensure that our tax dollars are going to good use.

PUBLIC EDUCATION

- Recruit, retain, and support educators and administrators; school psychologists, social workers, nurses, and mental health professionals; school bus drivers; and all non-certified school staff.

- Fund school construction; digital resources; school safety; universal Pre-K; school lunch programs; Art, Music, Physical Education and STEM; and Early College.

JUSTICE AND EQUITY FOR ALL

- Require law enforcement to have a specific, demonstrable proactive plan that combine public safety and civil rights protections.

- Establish a Civilian Review Board.

- Conducting a regular Community Survey.

- Require use of body-worn cameras.

HIGHEST QUALITY OF LIFE

I have and continue to advocate for:

- Environmental protection; sustainability, and parks, open space, and greenways.

- Affordable housing; Wake County Transit Plan, and balanced growth.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to my parents. They were born during the Japanese invasion of the Philippines. My mother and her family had to go deep in hiding in the countryside; they hid in race paddies, trees, and caves. During that same age, my father joined the Philippine Army, then the United States Navy.

When the war was over, all my mother wanted to do was go to college. She was in a patriarchal family and was told that there would be no support to furthering her education. This did not stop her; she was accepted at a prestigious college, graduated with an accounting degree, and built a wonderful career with the National Water Service.

At the same time, my father grew a successful and rich military career and fought in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

They met, got married and decided to settle in the United States; this is when their lives drastically changed. Even with everything they accomplished, they were not received well in America; they had to start from scratch. During that time, it was the 1960's, so they had to push against racial and gender tensions. My father had to use segregated facilities and sit at the back of a bus while he was in full-service uniform, and my mother had to turn beds at a Holiday Inn because no company would recognize her degree. It did not break them, and the reason why, I believe, they did not break was because of their foundation of perseverance and believe that all things are possible. That foundation builds my foundation which I follow every day.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Corazon Aquino's Speech before the Joint session of the United States Congress (delivered September 18, 1986)

By the sheer will of the people of the Philippines, Corazon Aquino became the President of the country after the slaying of her husband, political activist and Senator Benigno Aquino, and after thousands of Filipinos peacefully overthrowing the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. She has become an inspirational and iconic leader of Democracy.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

It goes beyond the position; an elected official, ideally, needs to learn to become a leader.

A leader must be someone a community can trust. This person should inspire all of us to work together to reach common goals. The person should be authentic, mindfulness and transparent. He or she must be a good listener, communicator, and relationship builder.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

The value and importance of service was instilled in me at an early age.

My focus has been to help people find solutions for issues that they face. Encourage them in knowing that what they are fighting for is important. Have their voices heard. Connect people together to get to the outcome they want to achieve.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Elected officials must help each other and the public stay focused on the future and on the common goals of the community. There will always be occasions when elected officials differ among themselves. The true mark of taking responsibility is the ability to handle the differences that the body is experiencing to find consensus, move the agenda forward, and have an environment of mutual respect that makes progress possible. Because of the pandemic, the Board of Commissioners will be facing difficult decisions in the coming years especially when it comes to our public health and economic struggles. If the board keeps to these core responsibilities, our county will be able to maintain its commitment to the highest quality of service and life in Wake County.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

San Francisco politics predominated on the news when I was a young person. During the 1977 Election, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors made history: Gordon Lau was the first Chinese American, Elle Hill Hutch was the first African American woman, and Harvey Milk was the first openly gay man elected to the board.

It was what happened to the board in 1978 that was the first historical event that was significant to me; it was when Supervisor Dan White assassinated Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone (and intended to slay Supervisor Carol Ruth Silver and Assemblyman Willie Brown). That event affected me so profoundly and still does to this day; it is part of the foundation of why I am a community activist, and what drives me to seek equity and peace in our community.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

On my 15th birthday, I went to the mall with a briefcase and a stack of resumes in hand (with a list of my non-paid experience to that date) and got hired at a fast-food restaurant called One Potato Two. Within two months, I received a promotion as an Assistant Manager. It was the best first job; we had a great team and we were in the middle of the hustle and bustle of our town's most popular gathering place. Because of time constraints, I transitioned to working at the Navy Exchange on the nearby military base after a year and a half.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

These last two songs are stuck in my head:

A Million Dreams by P!nk

"A million dreams is all it's gonna take.

A million dreams for the world we're gonna make." #vote

and

Underdog by Alicia Keys

"So I sing a song for the hustlers trading at the bus stop

Single mothers waiting on a check to come

Young teachers, student doctors

Sons on the frontline knowing they don't get to run

This goes out to the underdog

Keep on keeping at what you love

You'll find that someday soon enough

You will rise up, rise up, yeah."

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

The Wake County Board of Commissioners is the governing board for Wake County. It comprises of seven Wake County Commissioners, and it enacts policies such as:

- establishment of the property tax rate;

- regulation of land use and zoning outside municipal jurisdictions; and

- adoption of the annual budget, which largely includes Public Education, Human Services and Public Safety.

The board also establishes county policies by adopting resolutions and local laws (ordinances).

Counties were given authority to consolidate human services under the direct oversight of the county board of commissioners and the county manager.

Commissioners are not the sole policy makers in county government. Because the Sheriff and Register of Deeds are also elected officials, they have independent authority to adopt specific policies for their departments.

School boards are separately elected by the citizens and have responsibility for education policies and setting the school system's budget. None of these other local boards have the power to tax citizens. That authority rests solely in the purview of the board of

county commissioners.

In addition, several independent or nearly independent local boards have responsibility for such areas as alcoholic beverage control, elections, mental health, public health, and social services. These boards appoint directors and have the authority to make local policies.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes, it is beneficial to have experience in government or politics, but this experience can be developed in several ways. Great ways to build a foundation of experience is to:

- get involved in school by running for student body government, competing in speech and debate, or joining an activism association.

- volunteer for a political campaign or intern with an elected official.

- join a political party.

- acquire a job in Federal, State, County or Municipal government.

- serve on a community board or commission.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

• Communication:

o Listen - Gaining an understanding and accurately interpreting what others are saying has helped create the foundation to organize and express my thoughts.

o Verbal - From speaking one-on-one to presenting on stage to thousands of people, my strong verbal communication has been essential in articulating thoughts clearly.

o Written - Be it sending emails, communicating with the public or delivering information through digital means, it is important to me to communicate quickly, accurately and effectively.

• Teamwork and Collaboration - Building relationships and collaboration has been the foundation of working well together and bring out the best in each other.

• Leadership - Motivating others to do their best work and succession planning by identifying and developing new leaders are what I strive for in achieving true leadership.

• Professionalism - Respecting the position of my colleagues, staff, community partners, stakeholders, and, most importantly, constituents, is the most important skill to have in the position.

• Adaptability - Knowing that times are constantly changing and evolving, it has been less about what I already know and more about adapting my skills. I use new information to respond to whatever is happening. I may be a teacher in some areas, but I believe that I am always a student who "learns, unlearns, and relearns."

• Crisis Management / Resilience / Agility - Experiencing a setback or crisis is inevitable. My go-to steps have been to analyze the problem; rectify the situation in a reasonable manner; stay focused on the long-term goal; and handle the stress effectively.

• Global and Cultural Fluency - Interacting with people who are different from us provides the opportunity to develop global and cultural perspective. This means to respect diversity, and be open, inclusive, and sensitive to all people from different cultures, races, ages, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, political ideologies, and religions.