Maria (LaSala) Baumert is a University of Maryland sociology graduate student. Her research interests include gender, work, and family, leadership, and military sociology. Prior to attending the University of Maryland, she earned a B.S. in Behavioral Sciences and Leadership with a Diversity and Inclusion minor from the United States Air Force Academy and was a Distinguished Graduate. She plans to continue her Air Force career as a Force Support Officer and is committed to returning to the Air Force Academy as a faculty member for the Department of Behavioral Sciences.