Dr. Maria Mares does not approach leadership as a title to be worn, but as a responsibility to be lived—quietly, consistently, and with purpose. Across Australia’s Filipino nursing community, her presence is felt not through grand gestures alone, but through sustained service that meets people where they are and moves systems toward where they ought to be.

At the heart of Dr. Mares’ work is a simple conviction: health equity is not achieved by policy statements alone, but by relationships, trust, and action. This belief was evident in her leadership during FiND’s participation at the Grand Philippine Fiesta Kultura in Fairfield in October 2024. In a setting alive with culture, families, and shared identity, Dr. Mares ensured that health education was not peripheral but central—accessible, culturally grounded, and delivered with dignity. Thousands of Filipino families encountered nurses not as distant professionals, but as trusted partners in wellbeing. Her ability to mobilize volunteers and transform a community celebration into a site of meaningful health engagement reflected her instinctive understanding of how equity is built on familiarity and respect.

Beyond community events, Dr. Mares has consistently carried the voices of Filipino and CALD nurses into spaces where decisions are shaped. Through her involvement in the NSWNMA Anti-Racism Collaborative, she helped ensure that lived experiences of discrimination and exclusion were not abstract concepts, but real concerns demanding structural change. Her advocacy was measured, principled, and persistent—anchored in the belief that safer, more inclusive workplaces are inseparable from better patient care.

Dr. Mares’ commitment to equity also extends into the evolving digital landscape of healthcare. As a trainer for the national My Health Record initiative, she worked to demystify digital health systems for nurses and community members alike. In doing so, she addressed a quieter but critical dimension of inequity—the risk that vulnerable communities are left behind as healthcare becomes increasingly digital. Her work strengthened access, continuity, and patient safety, particularly for those navigating complex systems in a second language or unfamiliar environment.

Volunteerism has been a defining thread throughout Dr. Mares’ leadership journey. She convened the 4th Filipino International Nursing Symposium in Sydney in May 2024 and led the first FiND National Roundtable Meeting of Filipino Nurses in Australia—both landmark initiatives that fostered unity, professional dialogue, and collective purpose. These were not merely events, but spaces of belonging where Filipino nurses could see themselves reflected as leaders, scholars, and advocates. Through these efforts, Dr. Mares helped solidify FiND’s role as a credible, unifying force within the global nursing diaspora.

Equally significant is her capacity to build bridges across difference. By convening the CALD Nurses and Health Workers Alliance Australia, Dr. Mares created a platform grounded in solidarity rather than siloed advocacy. She understood that advancing equity for Filipino nurses is inseparable from advancing equity for all culturally and linguistically diverse health workers. Her partnership-building reflects a leadership style that is inclusive by design and collaborative by instinct.

What distinguishes Dr. Maria Mares is not only the breadth of her contributions, but the integrity with which she carries them out. She leads without seeking the spotlight, advocates without antagonism, and serves with a humility that invites others to step forward. As she has shared, “Service to the community is both a privilege and a responsibility.” In her work, that belief is not rhetorical—it is practiced.

Dr. Maria Mares exemplifies the spirit of the FiND DAISY Advancing Health Equity Award. Her leadership transforms advocacy into action, diversity into solidarity, and service into lasting impact. Through her compassion, vision, and unwavering commitment, she continues to elevate Filipino nurses, strengthen communities, and help shape a more equitable healthcare landscape for all.