Meet the Board: Maria Strohmayer
Tell us about yourself
I am full-time at home with our young daughters – the youngest is six months old, middle is three years old, and the oldest two are six years old in kindergarten. I spend a lot of time putting together learning-through-play activities, and triaging requests for help vs. requests for snacks! I also write passionately about stillbirth awareness, as our third daughter was stillborn (she’d be four this year!), and believe that sharing personal experiences can help reduce stigma and lead to better education and prevention efforts.
I was born and raised in The Bahamas and learned to scuba dive at age 12! I double-majored in Anthropology and History and minored in Latin American and Iberian Studies while studying at the University of Richmond in Virginia and I have a master’s degree in anthropology from George Washington University in D.C.. After our first two children were born (identical twins!), I joined and later became president of our local mother’s of multiples non-profit organization, Columbia Area Mothers of Multiples.
What led you to joining the DPCM Board?
I knew that my academic and career foundation in the anthropology/museum fields coupled with my nonprofit management experience would be a good fit to assist in setting DPCM up for success in its startup years. My husband Nic led the initial idea to form DPCM and I have been his right-hand support in activating others members of our community to join our team.
What are you most excited about for the future of DPCM?
I cannot wait to see DPCM in a real, physical space. I can’t wait to say that we, the Board, made this happen. It’s going to be an amazing sight to watch families come and go through our doors and experience community and local learning opportunities together. The DPCM Board is activated and motivated to be a leading community partner in revitalizing the downtown Des Plaines district. As DPCM grows and we open our doors in downtown Des Plaines, we aim to have a ripple effect to encourage economic growth amongst current and future businesses during daytime hours. The future is ours to make the most out of and grow our Des Plaines community together.
What are some of your favorite things to do in des plaines?
Walking around our neighborhood and getting to know our neighbors, visiting the downtown bakery and library, picnicking at Big Bend Lake.
We’re excited to be a part of building something for the community, and we hope you’re excited too! Your contributions will directly help us create engaging exhibits, enhance community impact and promote inclusivity through it all.