María Alvarez is the executive director of NY StateWide Senior Action Council, which advocates for an improved quality of life for New York elders and their families. 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 NYS Observation Status Law, the Safe Patient Handling Law, the re-funding of the NYS Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage and other important policies in the state and across the country. She has worked with senior citizens groups as an organizer, advocate, and director of housing and caregivers programs for over 25 years. She has designed and implemented educational, social service and leadership programs for older adults. 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.