Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria Gregg.
Hi Maria, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Here’s a short bio: Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Maria Gregg has always had a natural passion for caring for others. With over 15 years of hands-on experience in the field, she knew it was time to turn her lifelong dream into reality by founding SKYMA Living Solutions.
Maria’s journey in caregiving has been both personal and professional. She completed a Patient Care Technician training program. She went on to work with a diverse range of individuals, including seniors, people with intellectual disabilities, youth in CYF and juvenile justice systems, and children ages 5–18 in psychiatric care. Each experience helped shape a unique skill set rooted in empathy, patience, and resilience.
She has completed extensive training through the Department of Human Services, Office of Developmental Programming, and Temple University to ensure families receive the highest standard of care. Her dedication has earned her multiple awards from previous employers, recognizing her commitment, work ethic, and professionalism.
With unwavering drive and a heart for service, Maria has made it her mission to provide the community with compassionate, high-quality care and a safe, supportive environment that feels like home.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Every step of becoming a full-time entrepreneur has its challenges. The biggest struggles we faced were visibility, funding, and finding caregivers who could provide our standard of care.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am the Founder and CEO of SKYMA Living Solutions, a Pittsburgh-based healthcare and human services organization that I founded in 2019. My work is centered around helping people live safely, independently, and with dignity in their homes and communities. SKYMA provides non-medical home care, services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, non-emergency medical transportation, and workforce development opportunities.
My background is deeply rooted in direct care. Before becoming a business owner, I spent more than 15 years working hands-on with seniors, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, youth involved in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, and children receiving psychiatric care. That experience continues to shape the way I lead today. I understand this industry not only from an administrative and business perspective, but from the perspective of someone who has actually provided the care.
I am especially passionate about building programs that address gaps in our community. One of the accomplishments I am most proud of is creating opportunities that connect education directly to employment. Through SKYMA’s workforce development initiatives, we have partnered with organizations such as the Community College of Allegheny County and other community partners to help individuals receive training, earn credentials, and create pathways toward sustainable careers in healthcare.
I am also the Founder of Rise & Reach Foundation, a nonprofit organization created to expand my work with youth, families, and underserved populations. For me, entrepreneurship has never been solely about building a successful company. It is about building an organization that can create opportunities, provide stability, and make resources more accessible to the people who need them.
What sets me apart is that I am willing to build where I see a need. I have grown SKYMA from an idea into an organization that operates across multiple areas of healthcare and human services, while continuing to remain connected to the people we serve. I know what it means to start at the bedside, work directly with families, navigate complex systems, and then build the infrastructure necessary to serve those communities on a larger scale.
I am most proud that my journey has allowed me to create something bigger than myself. Whether we are helping a senior remain safely at home, supporting an individual with a disability in becoming more independent, transporting someone to an essential appointment, or helping someone begin a new career, the goal is the same: to give people the support and opportunity they need to move forward.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
I define success by the number of lives we are able to positively impact and the barriers we are able to remove for people in our community. For me, success goes far beyond revenue or the growth of a business—it is about creating access to opportunities and life’s necessities.
Sometimes that means offering someone a job and giving them an opportunity to build a better future. Other times, it means connecting a family to resources, providing reliable transportation, making sure someone has access to quality care, or simply helping a person navigate a difficult season in their life.
I believe true success is measured by impact. If the work I do can make someone’s path a little easier, open a door that was previously closed, or give someone an opportunity they may not have otherwise had, then I know I am fulfilling my purpose.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.skymalivingsolutions.com
