Maria João was born on the island of Madeira but spent her childhood and adult years in Cascais. She completed her studies in history and worked at Casa dos Bicos, in the centre of medieval Lisbon.

In the meantime, Maria João began doing freelance translation work for periodicals, newspapers, and publishing houses. She is a mother of three, and while raising them, she found herself becoming more and more fascinated with the world of kids, schools, and education.

Since her first child started school until the last day of school of the younger one, she was an active member of Parents’ Associations, developing intervention projects within the school community, in collaboration with various teachers. These projects, which include theater, street art, and exhibitions, addressed important topics such as bullying, gender equality, addictions (particularly technology dependence), nutrition, and health.