Marisa Pushee

SPP Conservation Programs (at Larch and Cedar Creek Corrections Centers) Coordinator
MES Program, The Evergreen State College

Originally from Massachusetts, Marisa received a BA from Hampshire College. She followed this with an MA in Visual and Critical Studies from California College of the Arts, where she studied visual representations of nonhuman animals. She moved to Olympia to pursue a Master of Environmental Studies at Evergreen.

Throughout her career, Marisa has combined elements of critical theory, visual art, writing, activism, conservation, and education. This interdisciplinary approach has included diverse activities such as working with the gorilla, Koko, as a researcher at The Gorilla Foundation. She has also taught students K-12 STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) initiatives through comic books and game design, and provided gallery support for artists living with mental illness. In addition, she has orchestrated educational programming at four different correctional facilities including San Quentin State Prison, Bay State Correctional Center, Hampshire County Jail, and a juvenile prison in Sale, Morocco.

In addition to her current role as SPP program coordinator for Cedar Creek and Larch Corrections Center programs, Marisa also works in animal care at Wolf Haven International. As a part of the SPP team, Marisa is excited to combine her background in education with her passion for conservation and social justice.