Maria Brown's path to campus wellness work began in an unexpected place: a decade as a Senior Environmental Scientist and Project Manager in private industry. After having her twins, she stepped away from that career for five years to raise her children — a chapter that would eventually lead her back into education.

Maria went on to teach science research for 22 years at Sayville High School, retiring in 2021 as the recipient of 33 teaching awards, including being named a New York State Master Teacher by the Governor of New York in 2013. Alongside her high school career, she served as an Adjunct Professor at Stony Brook University for 12 years, with additional adjunct roles at Dowling College and Molloy College.

For the past five years, Maria has brought her scientific background into an entirely new discipline — training as an Advanced Neurosomatic Breathwork Specialist and Trauma-Informed Coach. As she often says: "I used to regulate and optimize external ecosystems. Now I work on internal ecosystems." In all, Maria brings over 30 years across science education, higher education, and nervous system wellness to college campuses.

As creator of the Breathe to Thrive Campus Experience™, Maria combines evidence-informed neuroscience, nervous system regulation, and experiential learning to help students build practical skills for resilience, focus, and academic success. Her engaging, interactive programs translate complex science into techniques students can understand easily and use immediately — in college and long after.

Drawing from both her professional expertise and her own journey through profound trauma and healing, Maria creates safe, inclusive spaces where students explore nervous system regulation through breath, mindfulness, creativity, movement, and reflection.