Maria Lopez Larucci
Maria Lopez Larucci is a social services professional whose career is rooted in early community engagement and a long-standing commitment to crisis support and advocacy. She began volunteering at age 13 with her mother at DuPagePads, an experience that helped shape her dedication to homelessness prevention and human services. She continued volunteering at a hospital information desk during her teenage years and later served as a volunteer trainer, building a strong foundation in service, communication, and interpersonal care. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Democracy and Justice with an emphasis in legal studies from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, where she also completed dual internships supporting LGBTQ+ students and campus food security initiatives.
Throughout her professional journey, Maria has held diverse roles across behavioral health, crisis intervention, and community-based services. She has worked in assisted living leadership, supported large-scale behavioral health operations, and contributed to the 988 Lifeline system in a senior leadership capacity, where she engaged in high-level crisis response and operational coordination. She also served in program coordination roles supporting behavioral health services in Wisconsin and Cook County, where she focused on training, policy development, and crisis systems management. Across these positions, her work has consistently centered on de-escalation, safety planning, and connecting individuals and families to essential resources during moments of acute need.
Currently, Maria serves as a Street Outreach Supervisor with DuPagePads, returning to the organization where her service journey first began. In this role, she leads outreach efforts focused on individuals and families experiencing homelessness, coordinating crisis intervention, shelter placement, and stabilization services. Her approach emphasizes empathy, dignity, and intersectional understanding of the systemic challenges faced by marginalized communities. Recently, she has helped expand family-focused outreach efforts, supporting rapid shelter placements and strengthening pathways to safety and stability for those living unsheltered.
• University of Wisconsin-Green Bay - BA
• Employee of the Month
• Human Rights Campaign
• Conservation Foundation (Naperville)
• 988 crisis line advocacy
• DuPage Pads volunteer
• Good Samaritan Hospital
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my parents’ strong commitment to community involvement and the guidance they provided me throughout my development. I’ve also benefited from a wide range of hands-on experiences, including volunteering, internships, clinical exposure, and leadership roles, all of which have shaped my perspective and skills. In addition, actively listening to people’s stories and working effectively within diverse teams have been central to my ability to learn, grow, and make a meaningful impact.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would advise young women entering my industry to lead with empathy, presence, and intentional listening in every interaction. Maintaining eye contact can be a simple but powerful way to communicate respect and humanity, especially when working with individuals who may not often feel seen. It is important to listen with compassion and allow that understanding to guide how you respond, recognizing that kindness, care, and shared humanity often matter most when someone is struggling. I also encourage creating safe, nonjudgmental spaces for others, even when you cannot fully relate to their experiences, as simply being present and willing to listen can have a meaningful impact.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges in my field include balancing immediate crisis response with long-term stabilization planning and working within limited behavioral health and social service resources. Field-based outreach also requires careful attention to safety in unpredictable environments. In addition, supporting families with complex, overlapping needs and coordinating effectively across multiple agencies with different systems and timelines remain ongoing challenges.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Empathy and community connection are the values most important to me in both my work and personal life. I believe that when hope feels uncertain, kindness, love, and shared empathy are often what help guide people forward. These values shape how I show up for others and how I aim to build trust, understanding, and meaningful support in every interaction.
Locations
DuPagePads
West Pont, IL 60559