Vice President & Chief Operation Officer

Pronouns: She/Her

Maria Roman-Taylorson

Maria Louise Roman-Taylorson has been a leader in social services for the transgender community in Los Angeles for over 20 years. Maria is a 50-year-old Puertorican Latina Woman who began her journey to self-discovery at age 19. Many doors would close in her path, but she was driven and determined to succeed. With this decision came empowerment and hardship. She has survived life on the streets and has overcome many of the issues her community continues to fight today. She has become an outspoken voice, an activist and a role model to the Transgender community.

Maria Roman was the first transgender to become Program Manager for Transgeneros Unidas prevention program at Bienestar Human Services, one of the largest HIV prevention programs in the nation with an all transgender staff.

Maria was a recipient, The Community Hero’s Award in 2005 by the Alianza Latino HIV Caucus Conference. Of the Harvey Milk Award by CSW in 2009 and The Women in Leadership Award by the West Hollywood Women in Leadership Chamber of Commerce.

Over the years Maria has been part of and volunteered for endless organizations and groups, including board member of the Liberty Hill Foundation, Los Angeles and West Hollywood Task Force, West Hollywood Transgender Advisory Committee, Los Angeles and West Hollywood Police Department Sensitivity Training Program. Among her many advocacy roles, Maria was a keynote speaker in front of the Los Angeles PPC asking for more funding for transgender-specific programming, a Presenter at the U.S. Conference on AIDS, and a presenter at Creating Change 2015-16.
Maria has also ventured into acting and performing in projects such as The World's Most Beautiful Transsexual Pageant in Las Vegas and became one of the lead stars in the Showtime documentary "TranTasia" by Jeremy Stanford.

Maria Roman has made numerous appearances on Television including the Tyra Banks Show, El Show de Cristina, Entertainment Tonight, The Insider, and Despierta America among many others. She is also starred in an acting role as Alma Flora in the short film "Remember me in Red", the story of an MTF Mexican transgender activist who dies tragically, and the conflict that arises with the family wanting to bury her as a man and an outraged community a film by Hector Ceballos. Maria also was a Cast member of a Lovely Bouquet of Flower a stage show that showcased transgender stories with an all Trans Cast, that has now become the documentary In Full Bloom. VESSELS an AFI film by director Arkasha Stevens, Maria plays the role of a silicone pumper, this film has received critical acclaim internationally and its still making the rounds in film festivals across the World, Maria also had a co-star role in the Emmy Award Winner Amazon series season 2 of TRANSPARENT. Her Latest role includes a Prep Comercial and the Short Film Familia directed by Kase Pena.

Maria has continued to have her feet on the grown, staying humble and not forgetting were she came from, taking any opportunity to influence change with her presence advocating for the women that continue to walk the streets with broken spirits and shattered dreams. Maria served 4 years as a Los Angeles County HIV Commissioner and is a California Certified Addiction specialist and is the New Vice President and Chief Operations Officer for the TransLatin@ Coalition overseen programming providing critical services for Trans Individuals Maria is also a Member of the Los Angeles Transgender Advisory Board on the Los Angeles Human Relations Commission, Gilead Transgender and HIV Research Community Advisory Board.