With 12+ years of experience supporting programs for older adults and individuals with disabilities, Marissa has consistently advanced public health initiatives and policies across the federal, state, and non-profit sectors. Her results-driven leadership focuses on strengthening systems and improving health outcomes for those in need.
Marissa most recently served as Medicare Program Director for the Senior Medicare Patrol program, a national, federally funded program housed within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that focuses on preventing, detecting, and reporting Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse. This role encompassed programmatic oversight—spanning $35M budget planning, policy development and compliance, grantee monitoring, national resource center management, and strategic partnerships. She also led national conference planning, served as a subject matter expert on Medicare fraud trends and conflict of interest, and developed the agency’s national observance, Medicare Fraud Prevention Week.
Prior to this role, Marissa supported the National Council on Aging’s federally funded National Falls Prevention and Chronic Disease Self-Management National Resource Centers. She also led efforts to implement Mississippi’s first Aging and Disability Resource Center program. These roles deepened her understanding of community-based organizations, business acumen, and cross-sector collaboration that results in meaningful health outcomes.
Marissa holds a Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Clemson University, a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Mississippi State University, and a Certificate of Gerontology Fundamentals from the University of Southern California. She resides in North Carolina’s Research Triangle and enjoys spending time with her toddler, partner, and two cats.
