Biografia
Maya is primarily a film, tv, and digital media producer, specializing in activist documentary storytelling. She produced Amazon's first theatrically-distributed documentary w. Sundance-winner Lauren Greenfield (Queen of Versailles, Always' Like a Girl commercial), the opening night documentary at Sundance 2018. She is also the producer Resist (Pulse Films/VICE), and Finding Justice (BET/Seven Bucks Productions), with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's company. Both series looked at how communities of color fight systemic injustices. Maya is a Producer with The Years Project, the Emmy-winning team behind Years of Living Dangerously (Showtime/NatGeo). They have the largest digital following for the climate crisis with over 395 million reach and 1 billion views of their content.
The product of performing arts schools starting in the 4th grade and culminating in Juilliard rigorous classical Acting program, Maya originally trained as a triple threat actor/singer/dancer. She attended School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati (Alums: Sarah Jessica Parker, Nick and Drew Lachey, Carmen Electric, Todd Louiso) and New World School of the Arts in Miami (Alum: Glenn Howerton, Tarell Alvin McCraney) She was one of only 7 women chosen for an acting class of just 20 people at Juilliard. Her contemporaries while at conservatory include Glenn Howerton, Jennifer Carpenter, Anthony Mackie, Tracie Thoms, Lee Pace, Oscar Issac, Adam Driver, Jessica Weixler, Dawn Lyen Gardner, and Jessica Chastain. Also a professional writer, Maya's original play Mixed began touring in 2005. It won "Best of Actor's Rep" in Los Angeles in 2007 over twelve other plays. It was described as one of "the most groundbreaking new works", premiered to sold-out audiences in New York in 2009 and toured for over a decade.
Ms. Lilly is also a Udall Congressional scholar, the first chosen for using the arts as activism. Maya holds an M.A. in Environmental Security and Peace from the United Nations and a BA in Environmental Studies. She is extremely active for environmental causes and the climate crisis, and has an influencer channel on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook: @GunghoEco.
