Maria Antonia Dears
Maria Antonia Dears is a seasoned risk management professional based in San Francisco, California, with more than nine years of experience in professional liability and litigation risk within a major academic healthcare environment. In her current role at UCSF Health, she oversees comprehensive risk management functions, including the identification, analysis, and mitigation of potential legal and operational risks across a large healthcare system serving tens of thousands of individuals. Her work focuses on improving patient safety, reducing liability exposure, and supporting institutional compliance and quality standards.
Her career began in the legal field after completing law school, where she worked as a litigation paralegal supporting civil litigation cases including intellectual property, commercial disputes, and insurance matters. After several years in private law firms, she transitioned into healthcare risk management, initially through contract work that led to a full-time position at UCSF Health. Over time, she advanced into leadership roles, managing claims and litigation processes, collaborating with attorneys and third-party administrators, conducting incident investigations, and supporting root cause analyses to improve patient care systems and reduce recurrence of adverse events.
She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Health Administration at LSU Shreveport while continuing her professional responsibilities, demonstrating a strong commitment to continuous learning and leadership development. She also holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Maine School of Law, where she focused on intellectual property law and participated in multiple legal organizations. Guided by resilience, discipline, and an “immigrant mindset,” she credits her success to hard work, opportunity, and perseverance, along with a long-standing dedication to service and professional excellence in healthcare risk management.
• Building Capacity for DEI & B 7/19/2023
• Cognitive Interviewing Workshop
• Building Trust (2018)
• Diversity Inclusion Certificate Program
• Thurgood Marshall CLEO Fellowship
• Combat Medic Certificate Training
• University of Maine School of Law - JD
• Rebuilding Together (Bay Area)
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to what I call “immigrant syndrome”—growing up in a family that moved from the Philippines to the United States and learning to value and seize every opportunity. This mindset has shaped my resilience, work ethic, and drive. I am also guided by a strong belief in a higher purpose, which gives me direction and confidence in my journey.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field is managing 24/7 on-call coverage within a small department that supports a large organization of around 36,000 people, resulting in heavy workloads, long hours, and extended on-call rotations. At the same time, this presents an opportunity to improve efficiency, optimize resource allocation, and develop more sustainable staffing practices.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are hard work, seizing opportunities, and maintaining a strong sense of faith in something greater than myself. These principles guide my decisions, shape my perspective, and motivate me to stay focused, resilient, and purpose-driven.