Name: Marissa McNamara

Job: Currently assistant professor of English at Dunwoody Campus, also worked at Decatur and Clarkston and at former Rockdale center. At GPC for 12 years.

Favorite things about working at GPC: Students and colleagues. I love my students, how interesting and varied they are and the different experiences that they bring to the classroom. My colleagues are creative and excited and dedicated to the students. I am proud to work here because I know the quality of what we provide to students is excellent, and I like being a part of that.

Education/work background: M.A. from Florida State in American Studies. I taught English at Clark Atlanta University and Georgia Military College before coming to GPC.

Hometown: I grew up in Cincinnati and now live in the Kirkwood/Decatur area.

Favorite places: I love hiking at Sweetwater Park early in the early morning with my dog. It’s very beautiful and peaceful—except for the snakes. I also love Joe’s Coffee in East Atlanta where I do much of my writing. I love Waffle House where I grade papers, listen to the locals and get free refills on coffee. My back porch in the morning for coffee and reading. My kitchen with the door open when it’s raining. The Goodwill for deals!

Family: My parents, brother and sisters-in-law and five nieces in Cincinnati where I grew up. My friends are my family too.

Favorite book: That’s tough for an English teacher to say. Can I narrow it down? “The Grapes of Wrath,” “Beloved,” and “The Things They Carried.”

Professional goals: Continue to improve my teaching and to do committee work that serves students directly. I would love to work on my creative writing such that I can publish. I have written a play, and I would love to see it produced.

Most influential person in my life and why: Professionally, Susan Lofstrom who hired me and who has been a mentor. She has taught me to be fair and pragmatic and to bring to those qualities the love of teaching so that they balance. Personally, my late husband, Mike, who was patient and who supported me in whatever I did. He was funny and smart and pushed me to go out and experience life. When he was sick with cancer, he was positive and strong. People would ask him how he was and he would say, “I can have a good day or a bad day. I’m going with the good day.”

Leisure activities: Writing poetry and drama, reading, gardening, entertaining, working out. I teach exercise classes at the local Y. I am an avid dog rescue advocate with three dogs of my own, and I am an advocate for people with eating disorders. Travel is a great love: I’ve been to India, Egypt, Poland, Italy, Spain, Amsterdam, Paris and London.

Something most people don’t know about me: A few summers ago, I tried skating in a roller derby rec league. I have a really nice pair of Riedell skates for sale if anyone wants them.