Maria Garcia

Program Director

Amarillo Office

(806) 337- 1700 Ext.1212

maria.garcia@cohs.net

Maria Garcia was born to migrant farm workers Maria and Antonio Garcia. Throughout her high school years, her family traveled to northern states to cultivate crops during the summer and after school. Despite these challenges, Maria graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Education from West Texas State University in 1983, the same year she married her high school sweetheart, Joe Garcia. Now residing in Amarillo, Maria and Joe are proud parents of three grown children: Victoria, Linda, and Joe. They cherish their roles as grandparents to four grandchildren, Andres,

Maddilynne, Carina, and Harper. Maria journey in education began with seven years of teaching in bilingual education at Hereford ISD, followed by four years as a school counselor. Her life took a profound turn with the birth of her third child, Joe, who has Down syndrome. This experience ignited her passion in advocating for children with disabilities. In 1994, she became the director of Uniting Parents, a program under the Coalition of Health Services, where she has been dedicated to supporting families of children with disabilities ever since. In addition to her direct work with families, Maria has served on numerous local and statewide workgroups, including those associated with the Texas Education Agency, Health and Human Services, Early Childhood Intervention, Special Olympics, and various non-profits. Her faith and family are of utmost importance to her, and she believes deeply in helping others—a value instilled in her by her mother, who was a driving force in helping her recognize her gifts in service to others. Maria remains committed to making a difference in the lives of children and families in her community, advocating for inclusion and support for all.