“Mental health and wellbeing have always been highly valued in my household growing up. Being a bi-racial female has provided me a unique perspective into many of the disparities and inequities of everyday life for so many individuals. I’ve always felt that my superpower was connecting with people, and I soon learned that I wanted to do work that would change lives and leave a positive impact.”

• Before joining Edgility, Marissa worked as a Graduate Research Assistant conducting extensive grant funded research studies aimed at lowering suicide rates in the state of Florida
• During her training to become a mental health therapist, Marissa provided counseling services to many underserved communities, of which her work with offenders in the justice system was her favorite.
• Marissa holds a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Central Florida.

Marissa lives in Orlando, Florida with her cat, Shiloh. She enjoys anything active and outdoors like hiking, kayaking, and biking. As an extrovert, Marissa is always surrounded by her friends and family but never misses an opportunity to hole up alone with a good book.