Maria Bruno, Esq. is the co-founder and executive director of Ohioans Against Extremism, an organization that helps give Ohioans the tools and knowledge to fight extremism. Through public campaigns, diverse partnerships, and specialized skills training, OAE helps Ohioans understand political current events and statehouse legislation, and more effectively engage with public officials. Before starting Ohioans Against Extremism, Maria worked as the Public Policy Director at Equality Ohio, fighting for LGBTQ rights at the statehouse. She previously worked in policy advocacy related to affordable housing, criminal justice reform, and voting and has spent her career fighting for civil rights in Ohio. She holds a Juris Doctor from the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pittsburgh.