Marissa obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Marine and Environmental Sciences before going back to school to pursue her true passion for working with children. She graduated from the Medical University of School Carolina (MUSC) with her Doctorate of Physical Therapy in 2016. She then completed a Pediatric Physical Therapy residency program with Brooks Institute of Higher Learning in Jacksonville, FL. Marissa has worked with children of all ages and diagnoses in numerous pediatric settings such as early intervention, acute care, sub-acute rehab, outpatient clinics, and schools. She has been focused on providing services in the natural environment (such as homes, playgrounds and the community at large) since 2017. Marissa has spent time educating and mentoring physical therapy students and maintains status as faculty and research liaison for the current residents at Brooks. She also serves as faculty for the MUSC Pediatric Physical Therapy residency program. In 2019, Marissa completed the SC Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) Fellowship to connect resources for families across the state of South Carolina. Above all else, Marissa promotes a family-centered model of care to create goals that will maximize the potential of patients and empower families.