Maria Elena Martinez-Oseda

Maria Elena M. Oseda has a remarkable career and an inspiring life story to tell. The only Filipina civilian District Administrative Manager in the Chicago Police Department.  Maria manages the administrative and clerical functions throughout the police district and performs administrative support services under the direction of the sworn District Commander.  It is a significant position and one she has achieved through hard work and constant pursuit of higher learning.

A candidate for Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Business Administration at Kennedy-Western University, Maria Elena now looks back with a sense of fulfillment at how she once was confronted with a racial discrimination problem in the work place.  She recalled how her boss told her that he would not recommend her to succeed him because "not only was she a woman, but also because she was not white and was not educated in this country".

"I considered myself a double minority in the white male-dominated academic environment," Maria confided.  But Maria didn't allow herself to be intimidated. She responded to him with a determined voice as she spoke, "I am proud of my heritage, I cannot and will not change my gender but I can go back to school in this country."  And she did.

Maria attended school full time and worked full time while raising a family.  To top it off, it was at this time when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Between her chemotherapy treatment and coping with demands of school, work and family, Maria Elena found the strength she needed to carry on.  Rather than blame God or become bitter, she asked the right questions and found clarity in her life from the answers that came back to her in varied forms.

"We have a mind to shape, a heart to change and the courage to persevere," Maria Elena told herself, as she stayed focused on her goal of improving herself by pursuing higher learning.  It wasn't easy but she was determined to "find her right or best fit."  And once again, she did.  Maria Elena received her Bachelor of Arts from Mundelein College and her Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Management and Organization Behavior from George Williams College.

Maria considers it as one of her great achievements to have brought fourteen of her family into this country.  She brought in her mother, Veronica, sisters: Veronica, Perla and Aida and brother Mariano and their respective families.  It made her feel good to know that she was instrumental to giving them an opportunity to have a better life and a promising future.

Maria Elena was born in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental in the Philippines and was raised in Pasay City.  She came to the United States in 1971 and met Buddy Oseda in Washington, D.C., who married her in Annapolis, Maryland.  They were blessed with two sons, Jonathan, now 21 years old and Kenneth, 20.  Prior to joining the Chicago Police Department, Maria Elena was a Parish Business Manager at St. John the Evangelist Parish and School.  She also worked at Northwestern University as Business Administrator and at the University of Chicago as Administrator of Finance and Operations in Academic Affairs. 

Maria's professional affiliations include: International Who's Who of Professionals, The National Association of Church Personnel Administrator, National Council of University Research Administrators, Subcommittee of Employee Confidentiality and Employee Privacy, Human Resources Management, The University of Chicago, Chicago. IL. Association of Academic Administrators in Pediatrics, Health Care Financial Management Association, American Society of Women Accounts, American Association of University Women, Society for the Advancement of Management and National Association for Female Executives, Inc.

Maria Elena was an Allstate Foundation Scholar from 1983 - 1985 at George Williams College.

(Reprinted from the 8th Edition of "Profiles of Excellence", a yearbook published by Gintong Pamana Awards Foundation, Inc. on the occasion of its 8th Annual Awards Night.)

"I am proud of my heritage, I cannot and will not change my gender but I can go back to school in this country."