Vice President of People & Culture
Maria Garcia Herrmann joined the Greater Chicago Food Depository as Vice President of People & Culture in May 2026. She brings more than 20 years of human resources leadership experience, partnering with organizations to build strong cultures, develop leaders, and align people strategies with organizational goals.
Prior to joining the Food Depository, Maria served as Senior Director of Corporate Human Resources at Culligan International, where she led corporate HR strategy across a global organization. Earlier in her career, she held senior Human Resources leadership positions with Assurant, McDonald's Corporation, HAVI Logistics, and The Marketing Store Worldwide, leading enterprise initiatives in talent management, organizational effectiveness, leadership development, organizational design, and change management.
In her role at the Food Depository, Maria leads the organization's People & Culture function, including talent acquisition, learning and development, total rewards, employee relations, organizational effectiveness, and HR operations. She partners closely with leaders across the organization to strengthen culture, develop leadership capability, and create an environment where employees can thrive while advancing the Food Depository's mission.
Maria's connection to the mission of ending hunger began in childhood through volunteer work with WGN Radio's Good Neighbor Food Drive and continues today through volunteer service with local food banks, including an annual family tradition of volunteering at the Northern Illinois Food Bank, as well as Ronald McDonald House Charities. She is passionate about building workplaces where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to advance the Food Depository's mission every day.