Maritess finished her nursing degree in the Philippines, before moving to the UK to work in an acute hospital. She completed her District Nursing qualification at Kings College London and became a qualified District Nurse. Eventually, Maritess transferred to East London, became a community matron, and achieved her Non-Medical Prescribing Qualification. She worked in a nursing home for older people and subsequently joined North Central London CCG as a Quality Assurance nurse for care homes. In 2020, Maritess completed her MSc in Global Issues in Ageing and Gerontology at the University of Stirling. She was a recipient of the RCN Foundation Mona Grey Award 2022 for an outstanding achievement in professional development. Additionally, Maritess is a Queen’s Nursing Institute Elsie Wagg Innovation Scholar (2022) and a Queen’s Nurse. She is currently working as Service Development, Integration, Transformation and Delivery Lead for Age Well with the NHS North Central London Integrated Care Board.