Marissa was raised in rural upstate New York where hiking in the region, particularly in the glacially formed gorges of Ithaca, contributed to her deep-rooted interest in plants and landscape.
She has contributed her skills, particularly her knowledge of planting and ecology, to a diverse range of MVVA projects. Marissa’s most recent work includes coordinating various aspects of the planting plan for A Gathering Place for Tulsa, developing a planting design for the Waller Creek Chain of Parks in Austin, TX, and the conceptual design for historic Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY. Marissa received a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Sciences from Cornell University, with a focus on soil science and sustainability. She went on to earn a Master of Landscape Architecture from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design where she worked as a teaching assistant, research assistant, and instructor for the Career Discovery Program.