Marissa Bio 2.png
 

I'm going to dive right in here: Amy Schumer is a fan of mine. Your bubby is, too. 


I currently work as a contributing editor at CNN, and I’m the author of PRETTY WEIRD: Overcoming Impostor Syndrome and Other Oddly Empowering Lessons, a collection of essays published by Skyhorse and distributed by Simon & Schuster in May 2021. My reporting has been published in this book by The New York Times, and beyond several bylines in the Times, my work has appeared in The Washington Post, NBC News, Wall Street Journal, Vogue, GQ, CNN Style, BBC Travel, Cosmopolitan, VICE, Teen Vogue, Allure, Women's Health, SELF, HuffPost, Chatelaine, Well+Good, Mic, Reader's Digest, USA Today, Reviewed, Good Housekeeping, The Daily Beast, Mind Body Green, PureWow, The Montreal Gazette, The National Post and more. I am a certified personal trainer from the American Council on Exercise with a specialization in orthopedic exercise, and I hold a certificate in plant-based nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies at Cornell.

I COVEr:

Social and gender issues, technology, travel, fashion, food and nutrition, fitness, not taking fitness too seriously, beauty, not taking beauty too seriously, the politics of women’s bodies and reproductive freedoms, and everything in between. Like porn. (Hi, mom!) 

I received:

My B.A. in journalism and creative writing with distinction from Concordia University after working at the student newspaper in various editorial capacities. Since then, I’ve published poetry in dozens of anthologies by the National Poetry Institute of Canada, taking home first place for a poem about seasonal affective disorder.

Cosmopolitan and BuzzFeed listed one of my tweets among the 100 most "hilarious" of 2016, and has included it in so many listicles I'm thisclose to asking for my royalties. Twice, HuffPost listed it among the “funniest” written by women in 2016 alongside Hillary Clinton and Aidy Bryant. The Guardian, Quartz, ELLE Australia and Esquire wrote about it, too, which validates the countless hours I spend chronicling my interior monologue. Arianna Huffington’s Thrive Global named me one of the top female creatives of 2019, as well as an influential woman to watch in 2018.

On more than one occasion:

I was recognized on the street for appearing on episode 1105 of Keeping Up With The Kardashians on E! for my interview with Kylie Jenner at her 18th birthday party. I transcribed our conversation in lip liner, as one does. But what was perhaps the most pivotal moment in my career was when The Washington Post sent me to Quebec City to cover a mass murder targeting the Muslim community.

I give university lectures on:

Pitching and reporting techniques, book publishing, social media strategy, and the business of freelance journalism. I'm also regularly invited as a guest on news talk radio and various podcasts to talk about topics including but not limited to: Resting Bitch Face, Galentine's Day and the delicate art and science of a successful Netflix and/or Chill.

I judge:

Writing competitions from the L.A. Press Club Awards and the Society of Professional Journalists to high school and elementary non-fiction contests.

I LOVE THAT:

My parents have yet to ask me when I'm going to get a real job, so I consider that a victory.

If you’re interested in working together, feel free to get in touch.