Maria M Syms

Maria Syms has called Arizona home for more than 20 years. The mother of three children who have attended Arizona public district and charter schools, parochial schools, and private schools, Syms lives the “one size does not fit all” approach to education. Syms is currently the Associate Superintendent/Director of Legal Services for the Arizona Department of Education. She has spent her career fighting to raise academic achievement and empower parents. Syms served as an Arizona State Representative for LD28, Assistant Attorney General, Assistant United States Attorney, Paradise Valley Town Councilwoman, and private attorney. Syms is an active member of the Arizona State Bar and is also admitted to practice in California, Hawaii, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Washington D.C. Syms was a judicial clerk for the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. She has served as a Legal Instructor at ASU Law School and an Adjunct Professor of Appellate Practice at the University of Hawaii School of Law. She holds a Master in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School and a JD degree from American University where she was Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of International Law and Policy. She holds a B.A. in Government from Smith College. Syms resides in Paradise Valley with her husband of 27 years, Dr. Mark J. Syms, a surgeon who specializes in hearing loss treatment.