Marissa was born and raised in Albuquerque, NM. She has a lot of love for this city and its culture and is excited to be able to use her training and expertise to empower the children and families in my community to heal and grow. Prior to becoming a social worker, she was a teacher. During her time as a teacher, she discovered the importance of making space and time for the mental and emotional well-being of her students. This sparked her desire to continue her education and study social work, so that she could better serve her community. Marissa has a bachelor's degree from University of New Mexico and my master's degree in Social Work from New Mexico Highlands University. Marissa has two fur babies - a cat named Boo and a dog named Bear. They keep her very busy and entertained. When she is not working, Marissa enjoys spending her time with her family, hiking, camping, and baking.