About me
I'm Marissa, though at work most people call me MD. I've spent my career trying to understand what helps people do good work, what gets in the way, and what managers can do about it.
People leader. Writer. Poet.
Wife and mom of three.
My foundation
01I earned an MA in Positive Organizational Psychology and Evaluation from Claremont Graduate University.
That education gave me a practical way to think about organizations: study what helps people and teams thrive, then measure whether the programs meant to help them are actually working. I still come back to that combination of optimism and evidence in the way I lead today.
My career
02Disney Corporate
My career began as an HRBP graduate intern at Disney Corporate. I went on to spend nearly a decade in HR business partner roles, working across functions and learning just how much a manager can shape someone's experience at work.
Amplitude
At Amplitude, I moved into talent management, first owning engagement and performance and later serving as Head of Talent Development. I got to focus directly on the systems, programs, and everyday practices that help people grow.
Cribl
Today I lead Talent Success and People Business Partners at Cribl. My work includes learning and development, HR business partnership, employee experience, and culture.
The scope has changed over the years, but the question underneath it has stayed the same: how do we build a company where people can do great work and still have the time and energy to live their lives?
What I believe
03Early in my career, a leader at Disney saw more possibility in me than I could see in myself. She said it out loud, championed me, and changed what I imagined might be possible.
That experience stayed with me. It is why I believe managers have a responsibility to see potential, say what they see, and help people imagine more for themselves. Good management is not about having all the answers. It is about being clear, paying attention, building trust, and remembering that the person doing the work has a whole life outside of it.
The rest of me
04Outside of work, I'm a wife, a mom of three, a poet, and proudly queer.
I started writing poetry in 2019, just before finding out my wife was pregnant with our first child. Since then, I've written two collections about growing up, coming out, falling in love, becoming a parent, and trying to hold onto the moments that matter.
Those parts of my life are not separate from how I lead. They are why I care so much about real work and real life, and why I write about the parts of being human that do not fit neatly into a professional bio.
Speaking · Advising · Collaborating
I'm available for speaking, advising, and conversations about leadership, culture, and building better places to work.
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