Maria Francis
I was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and moved to the US in 1976. I currently live in Santa Fe, NM, with my husband Randy.
I am the daughter of a farmer. I was born on the farm, delivered by a midwife. My birth registration didn’t happen until five days later when my father could go on horseback to town. Growing up, my family and I lived 30 miles away from the closest town.
I grew up with my three sisters. On the farm, we all went to the coffee fields with my parents at sunup and worked until sundown. We didn’t have much. Life on the farm was not easy, especially for my mother with four children to raise.
We moved to a big city when I was nine years old. That year I was enrolled in 1st grade and started babysitting a 1-year-old baby. At Christmas that year, I got my first doll.
As a child, my big dream was to be a teacher. I loved my teacher and loved helping her clear the blackboard. I kept in touch with her until she died at the age of 94. She had a big influence in my life by motivating me to pursue a college degree and obtain scholarships.
My dream of becoming a teacher had to be put on hold because, in Brazil, teachers didn’t get paid well. I needed to help my family financially, so instead of teaching, I graduated college with a major in Accounting. I then studied for and became a CPA in the US. I learned English while I was in college in the US.
My decision to come to the US was only to learn English and return to Brazil after two years. I planned to return to my former job that was still waiting for me. That day never happened. After some twists, turns, and disappointments, my life was changed for the better after a wonderful soul was willing to sponsor my green card. I became a US citizen in 1988.
My successful professional life as an Accountant-CPA in the US provided me the opportunity to live the life I live today. I retired 18 years ago from that job. Since then, I have found many ways to live my passion for teaching and mentoring people. I founded Living Forward Alliance, a non-profit organization mentoring women in prison in Houston, Texas, to prepare them for a responsible, successful life after prison.
After retirement in 2011, my husband and I moved to Santa Fe, leaving behind, after 33 years, our family and friends in Texas.
In my third year in Santa Fe, I became a Certified Personal trainer by National Academy of Sports Medicine, Rock Steady Boxing Coach, A Matter of Balance-Fall Prevention by NM Dept. of Health, and Mindset Coach by the Ideal Coaching Academy.
I started working in the fitness arena to eliminate the extra 20 pounds I’d gained since moving to Santa Fe. I made a decision to make my lifestyle healthier. In that process, I found my passion for teaching older adults what I have learned in my own journey to aging healthfully and happily.
Today I train and mentor people individually, teach online and in-person exercise classes, and I teach Fall Prevention webinars.
My passion for supporting others started at a very young age teaching Sunday School at 15. It didn’t matter what kind of job I had; I was always willing to extend my support for someone in need. That is still true today.
I teach because I love what I do, and my commitment to helping people live a happy and healthier life through exercise is immense.
In my classes, I promote healthy exercise for older adults. The classes are fun and energizing - we dance, we laugh, we exercise, and we have fun. The social component of these classes is very important to aging well.
My motto is “You are never too old to start something new that gives you joy.” Focus on aging with grace and healthy habits that will allow your life to be a wonderful journey.
Maria Francis