Mary Peralta was the Program Manager for the USC Ross Program in Real Estate for 14 years, retiring in July 2025. Mary was passionate about the program’s mission of providing land use professionals skills, connections and opportunities in the real estate development sector. She enlarged the program’s reach by hosting networking events, engaging potential applicants and program alumni, speaking engagements, and establishing social media channels that provide educational and career opportunities. She also attended several industry conferences per year to promote the program.

Previously, she was the program assistant for USC Lusk Center for Real Estate’s development and external affairs. She assisted in the planning and implementation of services and activities for the Lusk Center. Before joining the Lusk team, she was the office and technology administrator at Livable Places, a non-profit affordable housing developer in Los Angeles.

In her former life, Mary worked in the stem and reproductive cell preservation industry as a laboratory technologist and in clinical laboratory management.

She served in the US Navy & Navy Reserve as a Hospital Corpsman and later as a Spanish language translator for diplomatic missions in South America and retired with 21 years of service.

Ms. Peralta earned a BS in Health Sciences from The George Washington University.

She is a native Angeleno, proud Trojan parent and grandmother of two who loves to cook, travel and enjoy time with her family and friends.