Maria Elena Pérez (she/her/ella) is the Director of Ipas U.S., which builds a resilient ecosystem to advance abortion care by partnering with communities, institutions, advocates, and allies, as part of a global reproductive justice network. With over twenty years of experience, she is an experienced bilingual spokesperson and leader in the United States reproductive justice space. She’s previously served as the Deputy Director at the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, as well as the Chief Program Officer at the National Institute for Reproductive Health. 

A Licensed Master Social Worker in the State of New York, Maria Elena holds a Master of Social Work degree from the Hunter College School of Social Work and a Bachelor of Science degree from New York University.