DEFINING SUCCESS THROUGH PASSION AND PURPOSE

Rising Star Seizes Opportunities Provided By Liu To Grow Into An Accomplished Leader In Digital Marketing

ecognition often finds those who are the most passionate about their profession. For Maria Lopez ’15, her love for communication and connecting with people through a myriad of channels is what has led to her success in a short amount of time.

Lopez has assembled an impressive track record through the first decade of her career as a rising star in digital marketing and consumer affairs. Lopez, the Director of Customer Experience at Diligent Corporation, a leading modern governance software company with more than one million users, has held various managerial positions throughout her tenure, including in product and field marketing.

“As I matured into adulthood, I realized the importance of brands who go out of their way and go above and beyond to make a positive impact,” said Lopez. “The brands that do so mean a lot to me on a personal level, so I want to bring that same level of professionalism and commitment to my team and our customers [at Diligent] to set them up for success.”

Lopez discovered her love for marketing and financial ventures as an undergraduate at Long Island University’s Post campus. Originally pursuing early childhood education, she fell in love with her marketing courses at the University and made the decision to charter a path in the growing industry.

In addition to her studies and her role as one of the founding committee members and event chair for the University’s Relay for Life team benefiting the American Cancer Society, Lopez identified a key moment in her academic career at LIU that catapulted her path to success, crediting LIU Major Gifts Officer Sean Collins for leading various networking events with alumni and ultimately introducing her to Sean Muzzy, who served at the time as CEO of NEO@ Ogilvy.

Through her introduction to Muzzy and the industry itself as a media planner at the Ogilvy branch, Lopez learned fundamental aspects of marketing that she credits to her success today.

“I would never have been able to pursue my dreams and be at my current career trajectory if it wasn’t for Sean Collins’ outreach and the team at Long Island University,” said Lopez, who credits both Collins and Muzzy as her mentors.

After a two-year stint at Ogilvy, Lopez accepted a position at Diligent, who provides board members and executives with the tools to identify risks and provide oversight for their organizations, in 2017 and has soared at the company ever since. Lopez has embraced several leadership roles along the way and assists public entities and private clients who are committed to elevating their brands through performance marketing and analytics to deliver transparency to their shareholders and ensure best practices. One of Lopez’s best accolades to date was being selected to participate in Diligent’s Ambassador Program in 2019 where she was selected to work in the company’s London office, gaining valuable experience in international business that emphasized could not be replicated otherwise.

“The ability to connect to a global audience is imperative to good leadership in this industry,” said Lopez. “You need to be cognizant and acceptant of cultural norms and business settings. The lessons and connections I was able to make with customers and colleagues in Europe has been integral to my success because of that familiarity.”

Lopez remains connected to the LIU community, speaking to current students enrolled in the business school as part of the University’s mentoring programs. The message she repeatedly shares with students is to follow what they’re passionate about because they will set them apart.

“Follow your passion and lean into it; do not worry as much about what is popular and what is trending. If you follow your heart and learn into, it will make your journey that much more enjoyable.”