Maya Giña Nelson’s approach to project management is rooted in curiosity, an analytical mindset, and a belief in the power of communication—an outlook shaped by her cross-cultural upbringing and experience. A certified project manager with a creative streak and a people-first mindset, she thrives in environments where logic and empathy can work in tandem. Her superpower? Translating complexity into clarity—then making sure everyone feels good about the work ahead.
At Thinkso, Maya brings steadiness and structure to every engagement. She asks the right questions, anticipates roadblocks before they appear, and creates the kind of working environment where teams feel supported and clients feel confident. Her approach is practical, thoughtful, and shaped by years of experience managing fast-moving, multi-stakeholder projects across sectors.
Before joining our agency, Maya was Head of Project Management at Matterlab, where she established agency-wide systems that improved delivery, resource allocation, and client satisfaction. She’s also managed major client relationships at CHC: Creating Healthier Communities and developed a classification system for their 1,500 client organizations. Earlier in her career, she held a partner engagement role at United Way and contributed to several notable public-sector projects—including collaborating with the Mayor to lead planning and execution for the City of Los Angeles workplace giving campaign and facilitating training sessions at the Department of Defense.
Maya holds a BA in communication studies with a minor in Spanish from Eastern University. Now based in Texas, she lives with her husband, two kids, and Norwegian Elkhound, and spends her time tackling ambitious DIY projects, soaking up Austin’s live music scene, and teaching herself Swedish.
What’s with the wheat?
“In life, I try to focus on sowing seeds that yield a harvest. As a project manager, I see every part of the process—strategy, design, editorial, production—as a seed to nurture with care and intention. The harvest? Work we’re proud of and outcomes our clients value.”