CONTACT ME

Regenerative innovation and experiences to improve the way we work and live.


Need ideas, project coordination
or advisory? Let's talk.

CONTACT ME

Ideas spend eternity swirling around us,
searching for available and willing human partners.
When an idea thinks it found somebody (like you)
who might be able to bring it into the world,
the idea will visit you and it will try to get your attention.

ELIZABETH GILBERT 

Embassy For Humanity and Planet Welfare

This idea was able to get my attention to be born into the world. I was just a channel for it. It's now available open source, hoping to inspire beautiful projects.

See Full Idea

Projects Inspired by the Embassy

that I have been directly involved in

Campo da Generosidade | Greater Lisbon

A space 25 km from Lisbon, Portugal, that cherishes projects and events based on economy of generosity.

Website

The Legacy Life | Bucharest

An Urban Hub in Bucharest, Romania, for Ethical Entrepreneurs and the Change-makers ecosystem.

Facebook Website

Other Ideas

and recent projects I have worked on

Theory U in Organizational Innovation Framework

Integrating Theory U - an awareness-based systems change framework, methods & tools - in the organizational innovation framework.

Awareness-Based Systems Change Learning Pathways 

To build capacity to lead awareness-based systems change in global and local conxtexts, powered by the u-school for Transformation. Includes activation and movement building offerings and events.

Inner Peace Museum

A place dedicated to inner peace, offering art exhibitions and various wellness experiences such as meditation, yoga, cutting edge psychotherapy consultations, healthy eating, workshops, etc., providing accessibility to mental, physical and spiritual health care, in a modern and practical way.

Deep U, Presencing, Meditation and Other Transformative Events

I help co-design and organize virtual and in person events and gatherings, with a lot of care. From intimate retreats to big talks events. My main expertise is coordination and taking care of setting the field.

Regenerative Physical Spaces

I research, mentor and do physical spaces transformation, in a way that makes us feel welcome, with enhanced well-being and a sense of belonging (to a group and to the planet). My favorite trends are biophilia and biomimicry.

"Future Me" AI Recommendations Engine

With the help of latest technology, I love to connect individuals with other people, content, events and experiences that will help improve their work and life. 

Ideation & Crowdsourcing Platform and Live Events

I prototyped and launched one of the first internal ideation platforms, combined with short online live events that gathered people from all around the world with the purpose of maximizing collaboration, innovation and impact for the greater good.  

From Human Resources to Truly Human

Amongst many other initiatives, I launched a market leading employee recognition system that helped people to feel listened, valued and appreciated for who they are and all they do, in a holistic and much less transactional way. 

Leading Companies Best Practices Guides and Awards

I create best practices guides and design guidelines, assess projects and ideas, and act as jury on awards events on Social Transformation, Sustainability, Innovation, Collaboration, Learning, Employee Experience, and Wellbeing areas.

About me

BEAUTIFUL WORK & LIFE CREATIVIST  |  NEO-GENERALIST

Maria loves to work on projects that create more soulful ways of being in the world--at the intersection of experiences, spaces, technology, beauty, consciousness, and nature. She is part of the Presencing Institute and u-school for Transformation, which focuses on societal systems innovation. Maria is also a co-host for Deep U retreats, an inner transformation accelerator, and a Heartfulness trainer. She is initiating a regenerative project in Portugal for global well-being.

Contact me if you want to work with me. 

CONTACT ME DOWNLOAD CV

Creativist

"Creativist" means to be a creative activist. I personally believe that is possible to find better ways of doing things that benefit all: humans, other animals and the planet.

Neo-Generalist

I identify myself as being a neo-generalist, i.e., being both a specialist and generalist, in many multi-disciplinary fields. I am an ongoing learner and in that process I mix diverse perspectives and practices together to address the issues that confront us in order to shape a better future. Neo-generalists are curious, responsive, connective.

Strengths

Per Gallup's StrengthsFinder, my top strengths are:
1/ Responsibility.
2/ Strategic. 
3/ Adaptability.
4/ Achiever.
5/ Maximizer (towards excellence).
6/ Ideation.
7/ Learner.
8/ Belief (have strong values & sense of purpose).
9/ Relator (value trusted relationships). 
10/ Futuristic (have visions of what the future can be).

Experience

my main work and volunteering experiences

u-school for Transformation,
Presencing Institute and
Accenture Global Team

International Projects

I am currently a core team member of the renowned Presencing Institute, working on Digital Platforms & Tools to support and scale profound societal innovation, Pathways for Transformation, and community-holding experiences at scale at the u-school for Transformation (by Presencing Institute). I am also a freelancer Consultant working on multiple areas including strategy, social innovation, and wellbeing, Before that, for +11 years I was part of the Accenture Global Team working virtually with people from all five Continents serving more than half a million customers, via projects in the following areas:
Management Consulting
Culture Transformation
Change Management
Employee Experience Innovation 
Digital Employee Engagement and Recognition
Truly Human Physical Spaces and Gatherings
Presencing Experiences (Theory U)
Whole Self Recognition (serving as the global / worldwide lead)

With Several Non-Profits
Around the World

Special projects

Since 2019 I am a BMW Foundation Responsible Leaders Network Member (by invitation only). Since 2018, I became a Heartfulness Meditation Certified Trainer and one year later the Heartfulness Portugal Secretary. Also since 2018, I volunteer as a Deep U retreats co-host and at ServiceSpace community. When I attended the first Deep U retreat (before I started to volunteer to organize them) and after a travel to India to attend Gandhi 3.0 retreat and visit the Heartfulness Green Kanha Project, the idea for the Embassy for Humanity and Planet Welfare was born. From 2017 to 2020 I was part of the extended Presencing Institute global team, acting as a sensing mechanism and advisor on current reality and, specifically, on digital, learning and corporate related matters. 

Accenture Portugal and
Willis Tower Watson 

Local HR Projects

Some years ago I was part of a Management Consulting project at Accenture Portugal coordinating the study of the “Best Companies to Work For in Portugal”. Before that I was responsible for Accenture Portugal's HR Communications, Engagement, Recognition, Inclusion & Diversity and Well-Being. Before I joined Accenture I was responsible for the HR Department at a medium size multinational company in Portugal.

Great Place to Work
Institute and Sustainability 

Awards & Events

Initially, I started my career as a Social Responsibility and Sustainability researcher, publishing the first Sustainability Guidelines in Portuguese and the first Corporate Social Responsibility Public Award for Companies in Portugal. Later moved to focus on the coordinator of the study “Great Places to Work For in Portugal” and respective award events and media partners collaboration.

Ignite Talks Portugal

Volunteering

Ignite Talks are a series of speedy presentations where presenters have 20 slides, which automatically advance every 15 seconds, resulting in a presentation which lasts just 5 minutes. Ignite events are held in cities around the world. I helped coordinate several Ignite Portugal events (including the best volunteers crew ever!), some with 300 attendees, in pop-up spaces in Portugal's main cities.

Coimbra University

Educational Sciences

I have a five-year degree in Educational Sciences by University of Coimbra, with a specialization in Adult Learning. My year-long internship was on one of world's most advanced systems for Recognition, Validation and Accreditation (RVA) of the Outcomes of Non-formal and Informal Learning - the New Opportunities Initiative (NOI), a national strategic plan to speed up the pace of secondary level achievement in the Portuguese adult population in order rapidly to catch up with European averages.  

From Several Renowned Institutions

Capacity Building

I am a learner so I couldn't ever list here all the learning investment I have made some far so I am just going to mention some of the main experiences and certifications. 
Regenerative Journeys with Regenerators.Co | Permaculture, Regenerative Design and Earth Repair for the Great Turning with Bioneers | Circular Economy with TU Delft, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Leiden and Rotterdam Universities | Sustainable Futures with University of Bristol | Biomimicry: Biology Inspires Innovation with Nesta | Impact Investing with Jindal Centre for Social Innovation + Entrepreneurship | Just Money with MIT | Delicate Activism: a Radical Approach to Change | Responsible Leadership with BMW Foundation | Beautiful Businesses with House of Beautiful Business | Gandhi 3.0 Laddership with ServiceSpace | Deep U: Awareness-Based Human Flourishing | SPT: Embodied Presence & Systems Leadership; Digital Leadership: Activating and Holding Transformative Change Online; Theory U: Leading From the Emerging Future; u-lab: Transforming Business, Society and Self; Accelerator for Systems Transformation; and Drawing Systems - with Presencing Institute | Unlearning For Change Agents with Charles Eisenstein | Life Design with Stanford d.school | Thrive with Thrive Global | altMBA with Seth Godin | User Experience with UXLX | Human-Centered Design with Acumen and IDEO | Design Thinking Academy | Search Inside Yourself: Mindfulness, Emotional Intelligence and Neuroscience for Leadership | Wellness Coach | Offices Design Psychology Coach | Events Specialist Certification | Social Media Marketing | Internal and External Corporate Communication Expert Certification

Books translation, editing and advisory

Additional side-projects

I collaborated to edit the book "Aqui e Agora: Mindfulness", from author Vasco Gaspar and translated and edited the book "Traçar o Destino" from author Kamlesh D. Patel, global Heartfulness guide. Currently I am also part of the Advisory Board of the Publishing House Bambual Portugal focused on launching and promoting Regenerative books.

Recommendations

"In deepest gratitude for the light & love that you bring into the global PI team through your presence and through your profound + critical contributions to the future of our work."

- Otto Scharmer

Co-Founder Presencing Institute, Senior Lecturer at MIT

"Maria is outstanding at imagining the future, co-creating with our people and designing an outstanding vision."

- M.L.

Managing Director, Accenture

"The insights you have created have truly shaped a market leading offering for our people."

- A.L.

Senior Manager, Accenture

"Maria has a way of telling the whole human story that is impactful and beautiful."

- A.P. 

Senior Manager, Accenture

"You are courageous and intelligent, warm and sharp, future oriented yet honoring roots & traditions. A very unique combination. It's an honor to work with you (...) You are genuinely moving mountains, one step at a time, for a better world".

- Julie Arts

Facilitator, Presencing Institute

"Maria's tenacity, design ability and project skills were used to see this project through completion.
Maria has also demonstrated excellent stakeholder management skills, innovative design capabilities, teamwork and collaboration (Maria has worked seamlessly with team in India, Spain, US and other GUs) – I would not hesitate to work with Maria again."

- S.J.

Senior Manager, Accenture

"Maria was one of five jury members on our Global (...)Awards PEOPLE category. Selected as a jury member because of her reputation as a passionate leader she brought much to the process. Her questions to the Semi-Finalist were insightful and empowering. When it came time for the deliberation, she remained impartial while bringing insights from her domain of expertise (employee experience)-a truly enriching the experience for the other judges and the outcome of the decision."

- K.G.

Principal Director, Accenture

"Maria is one of the best leads I have worked with. She embodies the best truly human qualities, and is real pleasure to be part of her team. Her constant guidance and training have helped me grow exponentially in my role. She really values her team and sees us as people beyond our roles. She has a very strong vision and drive, as well as great quality standards. I´m looking forward to continue learning from her and I´m thrilled to be part of the team in the years to come!"

- M.G.

Specialist, Accenture

More recommendations on my LinkedIn profile: 

In the Media

Deep U

MARIA DANIEL BRÁS met up with VANESSA PATEL in February 2024 at Kanha Shanti Vanam, where Maria was co-conducting a 4-day immersive experience in Deep U, along with Vasco Gaspar and Stanislas Lajugie. They blended knowledge and tools from various heart-centered, awareness-based, and trauma-informed approaches, to enable connectedness and innate inner wisdom. Vanessa was a participant in the workshop, and invited Maria to share more about her experiences.

Read more

Responsible Leadership in Disruptive Times

The Need for Local Chapters of a School for Transformation. A blog about bringing Theory U to support societal transformation, creating a generative field of trusted and compassionate relationships — with ourselves, others and nature.

Read More

Innovations for the Future

Planetary Network | Gameworld Builder Interview
Portuguese Version

Watch the Video

Between Timezones & Cultures

Future.Works Conference Main stage | Panelist
English Version

Watch the Video

Coherence

PODCAST
PESSOAS QUE FALAM POR VEZES
COM OUTRAS PESSOAS 
Portuguese Version

Eight Truths About
Working From Home


REVISTA ACTIVA
Portuguese Version

Millennials are already challeging the status quo


REVISTA ACTIVA
Portuguese Version

Eight Digital Resources
to Improve
Your Well-Being


HUFFPOST
English Version

Contacts

Need ideas for a project? Want to schedule an interview? Or want to discuss common interests for the Greater Good? Reach out to me. I'll answer soon.

mdaniel.bras@gmail.com

© 2024 Maria Daniel Bras