María is half Spanish and half Singaporean, having grown up in Singapore speaking both Spanish and English as her mother tongues. She also studied Mandarin Chinese for 10 years and French for 2, reflecting her deep love for languages and cultures. Navigating both Spanish and Singaporean traditions from a young age shaped her identity as a Third Culture Kid (TCK) and gave her a personal understanding of growing up between worlds.

After obtaining her International Baccalaureate diploma, María moved to the Netherlands in 2020 to pursue a Bachelor’s in Psychology at Leiden University, followed by a Master’s in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. Her academic and professional journey has been closely tied to her passion for child development, emotional well-being, and cross-cultural understanding. She continues to deepen her clinical skills to empower neurodiverse children and their families.

María is particularly committed to fostering emotional growth, independence, and confidence in children and to honouring each child’s unique story and strengths. Her intercultural background and lived TCK experience give her a unique insight into the emotional complexities faced by globally mobile and multicultural families - insights she is excited to bring to her role at EKC.