Marisa B. Nesbit
Marisa Nesbit is a Seattle-based cultural analyst, communications professional, and community advocate whose career spans human resources, public relations, education, and grassroots outreach. With a background in communications and political science from the University of Washington, Marisa spent nearly a decade in human resources, building expertise in people and culture, organizational communication, and community relations across healthcare, retail, and nonprofit spaces. Her work has consistently centered on fostering understanding, equity, and collaboration within diverse environments.
In 2014, a significant health challenge prompted Marisa to pivot her professional path, leading her to found lifewithjaco.com, a community-focused platform dedicated to civic engagement, open dialogue, and cultural awareness. Through this work, she curates and collaborates with contributing journalists, artists, and community voices to create inclusive forums where individuals feel valued, heard, and respected. Alongside her analytical and communications work, Marisa remains deeply engaged in creative and educational efforts, working as an artist, teacher, and mentor to youth through cultural and artistic projects.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Marisa and her husband manage a 20-acre forestry and ranch operation under Double MN Productions, where she oversees administration, budgeting, and daily operations. This hands-on lifestyle, combined with her extensive volunteer work—including leadership roles with Girl Scouts and local schools—reflects her belief in interdependence, civic responsibility, and community stewardship. Across every chapter of her journey, Marisa brings a unifying philosophy: meaningful change happens when communication, creativity, and respect for individual purpose come together.
• North Seattle College- A.A.
• University of Washington- B.A.
• SHRM
• Girl Scouts of Western Washington
• Lake Washington School District
• Eastside Native American Education Program
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to tenacity, hard work, and resilience, along with building strong relationships, fostering communication and cooperation, and drawing on my diverse experience across retail, human resources, and community engagement.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was from my great-grandmother. She told me to always presume that I'm ignorant in any situation, so I like to have clear information on what everybody's expectations are, what their wants are, and what their needs are, so that we can plot them out. I never want to presume or assume that I know what the situation is from only my perspective, or however somebody else might see it, or what issues might be there. I really like to gather information first, and I think entering into an environment where I ask questions first, because I don't know what's going on, I attribute that to my great-grandma.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell young women entering my industry that absolutely anything is possible—the only limits we face are the ones we place on ourselves through our beliefs.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
My biggest challenges really come back to the fact that we live in a society where everybody feels so separate. It's really hard to bring people together for common good and common involvement, and that is the whole function of my website. It's been a 10 or 12-year project that I've been focusing on, and it's only been the last 3 or 4 years where I've really been able to get a wider team together to help bring me global perspective and local perspective. We're now advertising for products for people in local markets and can sell products online for people. I don't use my website for profit, but I'm willing to help people get access to sell their products there. The biggest thing is that we don't know how to connect. When people come together to ask for their things, we don't know how to look for what people need, and that's a big thing, professionally and personally, that I struggle with all the time - overcoming the burdens of technology in trying to relate to one another.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I feel that respect is necessary for everybody, so I try to give everybody the respect that I would hope that they give me, in honoring their purpose and their value. I don't try to challenge anybody outside their comfort zone, and I want to make everybody feel like they have a valued place. If I'm willing to spend time to talk to them, or outreach to them, or if they're with me, they have a valued place in my life.