Marisa Birky
Marisa Birky is a California girl at heart. Growing up in sunny San Diego, California, Marisa was brought up to appreciate the temperate weather of Southern California by taking advantage of the beautiful beaches. An avid surfer, her friends have always found it difficult to get Marisa away from the beach during the warmer months. During the cooler months, and when Marisa is not out on the waves, she can be found in her local used bookstore, combing the shelves for something new to read. Enjoying a wide range of literary taste, some of Marisa’s favorite authors include Vladimir Nabokov, Jasper Fforde, Jane Austen, poet Billy Collins, and Lemony Snicket, although her favorite book has always been “To Kill a Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee. Passionate about animals, Marisa Birky devotes much of her time and energy to several animal shelters in the San Diego area, including the San Diego Humane Society. She has even adopted several furry friends of her own: a stray tabby cat named Cheez-It, a three-legged yellow lab named Fenway, and a young pitt bull named Bowser. Although it is sometimes difficult to care for so many animals, she finds that saving animal lives is one of life’s most rewarding experiences. In 2005, Ms. Marisa Birky graduated from Oregon State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design. While attending OSU, Marisa Birky returned to her native California each summer, where she worked as a volunteer for the City of Santa Monica Animal Shelter cleaning the kennels and walking dogs that were waiting for adoption. Marisa Birky is currently working as a freelance graphic designer. In what little spare time she has, Marisa loves to nurture her creativity by making up new, delicious vegetarian recipes to share with her friends. Someday, she hopes to own a couple acres of land where she would love to someday open up an animal rescue of her own.