Maria F. Estrella (she/her/ella) is the innovative founder and leader of Young Diverse Readers. She holds a Master of Science in Urban Studies, focusing on Diversity Leadership and Change Management from Cleveland State University. A  Master of Communication and Information in Library and Information Science from Kent State University, two Bachelor of Liberal Arts degrees in Social Work and Spanish from Cleveland State University, and a Diversity and Inclusion certification from Cornell University. 

With over twenty years of experience in library services, including eight years as a Children's and Teen Librarian and a Youth Services Subject Department Librarian, Maria possesses substantial expertise in advocating for, promoting, and delivering services to youth and their caregivers. She served on national committees, juries, task forces, and a board, including the Coretta Scott King Book Award, Pura Belpré Award Selection Committee, and the Association for Library Service to Children Board of Directors, whose primary goal is to provide diverse literacy to enhance the lives of young readers and encourage them to become lifelong learners.

A nationally recognized figure, Maria also proudly served as a former Executive Board Member of REFORMA (National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking), chaired the Children and Young Adults Services Committee, acted as Liaison to the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) for the Pura Belpré Award on behalf of REFORMA, and was a 2022-2023 Councilor-at-Large for the American Library Association.

Nationally recognized, Maria has extensive knowledge in advocating, promoting, and providing services to youth and caregivers. She serves as a councilor for the National Association of Librarians of Color for REFORMA in the American Library Association Council and is a member of REFORMA's Resistencia y Asistencia Task Force. Her accolades encompass the 2021 Dr. Arnulfo D. Trejo Librarian of the Year Award, the 2021 Cleveland Central Promise Neighborhood Champion of Central Award, recognition as one of the 100+ Latinos Cleveland Must Know, 2021 Edition, and she was honored with a James Patterson Bonus for Librarians in 2024.

Maria's steadfast dedication to diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging (DEIAB) also drives both her consulting endeavors and her leadership as Manager of DEIAB at the Cleveland Public Library. She is committed to fostering welcoming environments that are essential for achieving lasting, systemic change. Her passion for equity is exemplified through her role as a Diversity and Inclusion Consultant and Co-Facilitator for the Southern Adirondack Library System, where she virtually led a four-part discussion series aimed at dismantling ingrained discrimination. Through this work, she empowered library directors and professionals with DEI strategies and tools to cultivate climates where every community member is valued and respected. Maria’s impact has also been recognized nationally through her involvement in the Path to Belonging initiative—a transformative framework for rural and small libraries, which was featured in American Libraries Magazine and presented at the 2024 Association of Rural and Small Libraries Conference.