Fluent in English and Spanish, Anna Maria Barba-Poindexter is Executive Director of the Poindexter Dental Inc., one of Houston’s oldest and finest family-owned dental practice that engages an international audience - recruiting doctors from around the world and preparing them for dental schools in the United States with the goal of providing a world-class selection of procedures.
Prior to joining Poindexter Dental, Anna Maria served as Marketing Director for the World Services Group (WSG), a global multidisciplinary professional services network that compose of independent law, accounting, and investment banking firms, and ranks as one of the largest among the more than 200 professional service networks in the world. At WSG, she secured sponsorships for international events and conferences and managed human resources and community relations for board members’ meeting around the world. Earlier in her career, Anna Maria was Executive Director for the Linda Lorelle Scholarship Fund Inc., an educational organization that is rooted in the belief that all students should have the opportunity to access higher education, regardless of the hand they were dealt when they entered this world. Under Anna Maria’s leadership from 2004-2009, she oversaw significant increases to the organization’s revenue, paving the way for additional college scholarships, support, and guidance to Houston area high school students in need of financial assistance, whose potential may be unfulfilled due to circumstances beyond their control.
A Senior Donor Relations Specialist for over two decades, Anna Maria began her career in fundraising development programs at University of Houston Law School Foundation in 1991, first as Development Coordinator - Alumni Affairs and later as Office Manager, leading all fundraising events, donations, and annual campaigns (not exclusively). A key team member of the launch of the Life Flight Helicopter Program, and recipient of the Circle of Life Award from the Houston Chapter Association of Fundraising Professionals for overwhelmingly supporting Memorial Hermann Gala at the George R. Brown Convention Center, Anna Maria was also Director of Annual Programs & Donor Relations at the Memorial Hermann Healthcare Systems - the largest not-for-profit healthcare system in Southeast Texas where she generated fundraising donations achieving over $2 million.
Her track record of success securing grants, managing budgets, and creating exceptional donor experiences also includes the SEARCH Homeless Project where she generated over $2 million in annual donations for the organization to engage, stabilize, educate, employ, and house individuals and families who are homeless in the Houston, Texas area. Anna Maria holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications for the University of New Orleans, and a portfolio of educational accolades from Rice University School of Continuing Studies, Dale Carnegie, UT Dental School, McGraw-Hill, and Long Beach College of Business.