Maria L Gillies immigrated to Australia in January 2007, holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from a distinguished university in the Philippines. Despite her lack of a steady income, she secured employment as a housekeeper at Holiday Inn, located on the Gold Coast, Queensland.

With aspirations of entering the Accounting Industry, Ms. Gillies pursued a Certificate IV in Financial Services at TAFE NSW. She graduated with distinction and applied for a BAS Agent role, which required possession of the same certificate and completion of a Tax Practitioners Boards course in basic GST/BAS taxation principles. Afterward, she established a bookkeeping enterprise, which she managed until its sale in 2018. In 2021 She finished her Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. 

Ms. Gillies has amassed extensive professional experience, particularly in non-profit management, since her arrival in Australia. She possesses strong diplomatic skills and a natural aptitude for building relationships, fostering rapport, and promoting collaboration among diverse individuals. She is passionate about encouraging cohesive cooperation among people from diverse ethnic backgrounds through education, inclusiveness, accessible support, and cooperation.

"I am enjoying working at SisterWorks because I can see the positive impact our work has on our Sisters and how they gained confidence, as well as having that sense of belonging in a welcoming community that is sharing their journey with them."