Maria Mercado SPHR, SHRM-SCP
PEOPLE OPERATIONS MANAGER
Maria manages People Operations, benefits, payroll, compliance, and employee life cycle changes to ensure everything runs smoothly, which allows GFI team members to focus on their work with the confidence that their needs are well taken care of, while also enhancing the overall employee experience.
Areas of expertise: People Operations, benefits, employee experience, payroll, and compliance
Maria uses she/her pronouns.
Maria, a New Jersey native, brings 18 years of Human Resources experience to the team, with over half of that time spent in the nonprofit sector. Before joining GFI, she worked as a Human Resources Consultant, supporting small and mid-size companies, including nonprofits and start-ups. Maria has held leadership roles in nonprofit organizations as well as in the finance, healthcare, staffing, and hospitality industries. She holds SPHR and SHRM-SCP certifications, along with a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace Certificate. Maria earned her BA in Sociology from Princeton University.
