When Maria Ruberto founded Salutegenics, she ensured its practices were grounded in neuroscience, strengths-based practice, and emotional intelligence. With more than 30 years of clinical and organisational experience, she supports individuals and teams to build mental fitness, navigate adversity, and lead with authenticity.
At the heart of her work is a clear mission: to help people understand how their brains influence behaviour, and to equip them with the tools to make informed, lasting change. By demystifying the biology behind emotions, responses and decision-making, Maria empowers people to shift from reactivity to resilience.
For Maria, Salutegenesis, the theory behind Salutegenics, is personal. The daughter of Italian migrants, she grew up in a home shaped by discipline, faith, and quiet optimism. Her father was robust and unyielding, her mother socially driven and endlessly hopeful. These contrasts shaped Maria’s deep empathy and her early curiosity about human behaviour. Wellbeing, she believes, must feel real and make sense before it can be shared.
That belief is reflected in her own home life. Maria’s husband Daniel, a builder with a meticulous nature and strong sense of responsibility, brings quiet structure and care to their family. Whether tending to his garden, preparing meals in the wood-fire oven he built by hand, or maintaining their home with precision and pride, Daniel’s support is steady and unwavering.
Together, they have raised two daughters whose strength and individuality continue to shape Maria’s own growth. Ambra, their eldest, is a lawyer working in Darwin. She is principled, analytical, and driven by a fierce commitment to justice. Her clarity of thought and deep sense of purpose mirror many of the qualities Maria nurtures in leadership programs: focused, values-led, and socially aware.
Luana, their youngest, is a nurse in the haematology ward of the McCallum Hospital with a creative spirit and wholehearted empathy. She is sensitive, expressive, and deeply attuned to people’s emotions. Her joy in connection, love of food and adventure, and emotional insight reflect the same human-centred approach that underpins Maria’s work in wellbeing and emotional intelligence.
Parenting has been one of Maria’s most formative experiences, offering profound lessons in presence, patience, and emotional adaptability. From holding space through tears to letting go when independence calls, Maria has learned that growth often requires discomfort. These lived experiences continue to inform how she supports others, honouring the complexity of change while creating the safety to explore it.
Maria’s professional work draws on the latest research to develop practical tools that build emotional insight, support behavioural change, and strengthen human connection. Her workshops are vibrant, dynamic and immersive—combining storytelling, humour and interactive learning to make complex neuroscience accessible and actionable. Whether guiding senior leaders or frontline teams, she creates learning experiences that spark self-awareness and inspire lasting change.
She is a sought-after speaker and consultant across the corporate, education, health, and not-for-profit sectors. Maria has led state-wide wellbeing and trauma-response initiatives and has partnered with leading organisations including the Department of Education, the Royal Children’s Hospital, Southern Cross University, Beyond Blue, and Medibank's Mental Health Reference Group.
Her approach is clear, direct, and deeply human. Maria’s mission is to help people flourish by reconnecting with their strengths, acting with purpose, and working in a way that aligns with who they truly are.
