Maria Bánjọ serves as Chief of Staff for Commissioner Mo Ivory, drawing on her extensive experience as an attorney, advocate, and policy leader.

She is a dedicated attorney, policy expert, and political strategist committed to amplifying underrepresented voices. The daughter of Nigerian immigrants, she grew up working in her family’s small business in Underground Atlanta, where she witnessed firsthand the systemic barriers facing immigrants and communities of color.

Maria earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Africana Studies from Agnes Scott College and later obtained her Juris Doctor from The John Marshall Law School – Chicago, with a focus on international human rights and civil rights law.

With over 15 years of legal experience, Maria has served as a public defender, progressive prosecutor, and solo practitioner. She worked in the Special Victims Unit of the DeKalb County Solicitor-General’s Office and the Elder Abuse Unit of the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office, prosecuting cases involving domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, animal cruelty, and elder abuse. She later became the managing attorney for the Fulton County Magistrate Court’s innovative R.E.A.C.H. Clinic, where she provided free legal information to those without an attorney and led more than 20 community workshops across Fulton County in partnership with the Fulton County Library.

Maria also has a proven track record in public policy, having advised multiple members of the Georgia General Assembly on crime, victim advocacy, and election law. She served on the Whip Team as a Legislative and Research Analyst for the Georgia Democratic House Caucus.

Her commitment to service led her into campaign management, where she successfully managed the re-election campaign of State Representative Bee Nguyen before becoming her chief of staff. She later served as campaign manager and political director for Mayor Andre Dickens’ historic campaign for mayor of Atlanta. Maria then reunited with Bee Nguyen for her successful run in the contest for the 2020 Democratic nomination for Georgia Secretary of State. In addition, she worked as Georgia Organizing Manager for the National Urban League and was part of the legal team that sued on behalf of national organizations, including Black Voters Matter and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, fighting against voter purges that disenfranchised Georgia voters of color.

In her current role, Maria leverages her expertise in law, policy, and advocacy to help craft and implement Commissioner Ivory’s initiatives, focusing on progress, service, empowerment, and community-driven solutions that foster a thriving Fulton County.

Beyond her work, Maria remains deeply engaged in political leadership. After being elected as the 5th Congressional District Chair for the Democratic Party of Georgia, she was elected as a delegate for Vice President Kamala Harris and appointed Lead Whip for the Georgia delegation. Most recently, she became Georgia’s youngest elected DNC member.

In her free time, Maria enjoys country line dancing and riding her fixed-gear bike.