Maria Flores-Sperling is a native of Springfield, Massachusetts (New England) her parents are from the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. She is bilingual (English and Spanish). She has resided in Atlanta, Georgia since 1993. Maria is also a mother of three children, and a grandmother of eight beautiful grandchildren. She earned a bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences and master’s degree in general psychology.
She works as a substance abuse counselor, with the Grady Health System; Ponce Center in Atlanta . She is a board certified addiction counselor, credential by The Georgia Addiction Counselors Association, and a Domestic violence counselor credential by The National Association of Forensic Counselors. Maria is also a registered multiple DUI Clinical Evaluator, by the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.She conducts workshops on domestic violence and abuse, and has been featured on television as a guest author on "Writers in Focus," which is broadcast on Fulton County Online - FGTV.
In 2006 she married the love of her life Charles E. Sperling, founder and CEO of a non-profit organization, STAND Incorporated (Standing to Achieve New Directions) which provides services to individuals newly released from jail or prison by offering, effective re-entry solutions. Charles is a native of Alabama; he’s a proud father, and grandfather.