Maria Flores is a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and has served for the past 12 years as the Program Manager in the EEOC Milwaukee Area Office. She is responsible for coordinating and conducting EEO training, educational outreach, and technical assistance throughout the six Midwest states which comprise the EEOC Chicago District Office. Maria has a proven record as a highly-rated EEO speaker and trainer to diverse audiences on numerous employment discrimination issues. As a former bilingual and systemic investigator, she was twice awarded national EEOC Chair awards for her collaborative work and successful resolution of high-profile class cases which had national impact and significant litigation results. At the invitation of EEOC headquarters, Maria has participated in a number of special EEOC work teams to develop national educational and training materials.