Mary Lindsley is a Midwest native who has called the Triangle area home since 1999. She began her planning career at UNC-School of Public Health in the Office of Continuing Education and worked to arrange classes and educational sessions around the state. She then spent close to five years at a statewide non-profit organization El Pueblo starting as Cultural Program Coordinator and later as the Director of Special Events and Communications. Her main responsibilities were to coordinate or oversee all events of the organization from company parties to the largest Latin American festival in the Carolinas. Two of the main events included "El Foro Latino" a statewide, two-day conference of Latino leaders and service providers held in a new location each year, and the annual "La Fiesta del Pueblo" which saw a 100% increase in attendees from her first year to her last. Her final Fiesta in 2003, and the 10th Anniversary, she worked to move the event from Chapel Hill to the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh where the event enjoyed greater success and is currently located. Mary graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1996. She is currently serving on the board of directors of SAF (Student Action with Farmworkers) and the ReCYCLEry, a project of SURGE. She enjoys snowboarding in Colorado with her family, taking her dog Samantha Sosa for walks at the Eno, and learning to dance Bhangra.