Maria Fernandes-Dominique
Maria Fernandes-Dominique is an organizational strategist, executive coach, facilitator, and racial justice leader with more than 20 years of experience helping mission-driven organizations strengthen leadership, culture, and community impact. As founder of Culture Builders Cooperative, LLC, she works with executives, leadership teams, and grassroots organizations to build anti-racist institutions that center marginalized communities, empower stakeholders, and create sustainable systems for equity and inclusion.
Her coaching and consulting expertise includes strategic planning, succession planning, leadership development, organizational culture transformation, racial justice facilitation, and communities of practice. Through her work with Conditioning Leaders and the Mel King Institute, she has coached and trained grassroots leaders, resident leaders, and organizations to build power, strengthen collaboration, and lead meaningful change.
She has also advised organizations focused on cooperative development, affordable housing, community engagement, and equitable economic development. At NeighborWorks America, she managed programs designed to strengthen resident leadership and community participation. As director of public affairs at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, she advanced health justice initiatives through partnerships with civic, community, and organizational leaders.
Earlier in her career, she held government relations roles with Boston Children’s Hospital and the Boston Bar Association, working with legislators, public agencies, advocates, and community partners to advance policy priorities. Across her work, she brings a collaborative, systems-oriented approach that helps organizations align their values, leadership practices, and infrastructure with their commitment to racial equity and lasting impact.
Maria is a graduate of Clark University and holds an M.P.A. from Suffolk University. She also holds certificates in coaching and DEI from Howard University and in nonprofit management from Tufts University.
