I've known Marissa for over 20 years and actually worked with her on numerous projects. I find her to be detail oriented, timely, organized and creative. On a personal level she has been involved with our dog rescue, both helping on events and fostering dogs. This is not something that we simply hand the reigns over to just anyone, there is a vetting process. Marissa has a compassion and empathy for the hospice dogs I have taken in, that I can entrust her with them when I am away. Perhaps it is due to her having raised a special needs child of her own for 20 years. She has an insight and perception to those without a voice....perhaps that is why she is particularly good with my unbalanced group of rescue dogs. At this stage in her life, she is looking to slow things down and has chosen a niche where she do things she finds comforting and therapeutic....animals are perfect. Why not help help people who love their pets care for them when they can't? Marissa is clearly over qualified for this type of work, but I respect her choosing to do something she loves. I actually envy it. A recommendation would not suffice in this case, after meeting her it will become evident, she is truly a gem.