Maria Aguilar-Amaya

Maria Aguilar-Amaya is a Director and Researcher at Arizona State University with nearly 32 years of professional experience spanning research, evaluation, criminal justice, victim services, probation, and behavioral health. Before joining Arizona State University, she spent more than two decades with the Arizona Judiciary, including 11 years as a Researcher/Data Analyst at the Arizona Supreme Court and earlier roles in adult probation and victim advocacy. At Arizona State University, she progressed from Research Analyst to Associate Director and ultimately Director, where she leads research and evaluation initiatives and contributes to programs focused on criminal sentencing, sentencing advocacy, behavioral health, and community well-being.

Maria specializes in mentoring staff, managing multiple research projects, and partnering with nonprofit and government organizations to evaluate federally funded programs. Her work is particularly focused on addiction, mental health, justice-involved populations, reentry, and improving access to compassionate, evidence-based behavioral health services. She is passionate about connecting research with real-world practice and ensuring that data and evaluation are used not only to strengthen programs and systems, but also to improve outcomes for underserved and Spanish-speaking communities. Her professional development includes training as a Motivational Interviewing Facilitator and Real Colors Facilitator, and she is pursuing advanced studies in Addiction Psychology at Arizona State University.

Beyond her professional responsibilities, Maria is deeply committed to community engagement, advocacy, mentorship, and creating platforms for meaningful community conversations. She hosts Temas de Interés con la Doctora María, an interview series with Latino USA TV that highlights community leaders, advocates, public servants, and professionals working to address issues such as crime, addiction, homelessness, and community well-being. She is also involved with the Laveen Coalition, supporting efforts related to substance-use prevention among youth, and participates in professional organizations including the Arizona Evaluation Network, NADAC, the American Psychological Association, the American Probation and Parole Association, and the American Evaluation Association. Guided by faith, education, compassion, and perseverance, Maria is dedicated to helping strengthen communities and ensuring that the people represented in research and statistics are always recognized as individuals whose lives, experiences, and dignity matter.