Maria Pilar Paradiso, J.D., Vice Principal, Director of Institutional Advancement

Maria Pilar Paradiso joined Link Community School as Director of Development in 2002, then overseeing a small office with responsibility over development, trustee relations and alumni relations. In 2006, she was named Vice Principal, Director of Institutional Advancement to reflect the expansion of her role to include public relations, publications, and extracurricular student programming. Under the leadership of the Board of Trustees and Principal, her team has successfully reached each year's fundraising goals and supported key programming initiatives. Working closely with the Principal, the Director of Finance and Facilities, and the Board of Trustees, Maria continues to support the growth of the School and the implementation of the Strategic Plan.

Prior to joining Link Community School, Maria practiced family law with the Middlesex County Legal Services Corporation and consumer law with the Passaic County Legal Aid Office after clerking for United States Magistrate Judge John J. Hughes. She began her fundraising experience with the campaign office of former United States Senator Bill Bradley, where she successfully managed major events for the Senator's 1990 Re-election Campaign. She then served as Coordinator of Educational Programming and Coordinator of Corporate and Foundation Relations for the New Jersey State Museum. While at the State Museum, she helped launch and secure funding for after-school programming for Trenton youngsters and weekend family programming. Maria holds a J.D. from Rutgers Law School-Newark and a B.A. in Political Science from Montclair State University. She lives with her husband and four children in Cranford, New Jersey. She is a native of Argentina and is fluent in Spanish.