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Marya Torrez is an attorney, advocate, and policy expert based in Washington, DC. She has more than twenty years experience committed to civil rights, social justice, and environmental protection. She is particularly passionate about the rights of women, youth, LGBTQ people, and nonhuman animals.

Marya has spent the last fifteen years of her career focused mostly on sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice. She is currently Senior Director for Policy Development & Strategy at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, where she leads coalition and federation work to develop and drive policies to protect and expand access to health care, coverage, and rights, including under the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, and other federal programs, as well as cross-movement advocacy around immigration, racial justice, economic justice, and democracy rights. Marya came to PPFA from the DC Office of Administrative Hearings where she was Assistant General Counsel. Prior to that, she spent five years advocating for reproductive health at the National Partnership for Women & Families, after completing legal fellowships at PPFA and Alliance for Justice. Prior to moving to Washington, DC, Marya led a youth crisis shelter, teen center, and other programs for youth and their families in Santa Barbara, CA. Her publications focus primarily on the public health, environmental, and ethical implications of using animals for food.

Marya is also a board member for the Washington Area Bicyclist Association. She previously served as Secretary of the Board for Women's Voices for the Earth, on the Community Advisory Board of the Teen Alliance for Prepared Parenting, which serves pregnant and parenting young people and their children, as well as Secretary of the board of DC Lawyers for Youth, an organization she co-founded that advocated for improvements in the juvenile justice system.