Marisa Zakaria

Biography:

Who Am I?

I aim to be a partner on your educational journey. It is up to you to drive your journey. I will not push or pull you, but I will be here for you to lean on when you need me. I aim to provide all students with the most creative and innovative learning environment while maintaining critical thinking as a central theme.

My Educational Background

Like many of you, I had a hard time choosing a major. I started as a Chemistry major, then Management, then IT, and finally Accounting. I chose Accounting because I was paying for college and my professor said he would give me more scholarship money if I went into that major. I now realize that choosing Accounting gave me technical skills that opened many doors in Corporate America. While working full-time, I also went to school full-time to get my MBA and CPA. I hope to one day go to Law School.

My Professional Background

Since I am originally from Cleveland, I am an avid Cleveland sports fan. Browns, Cavs, Indians, Buckeyes- I love them all. I’m also a huge advocate for shelter dogs. Apart from establishing and running a film/television/new media production company called 4 Reelz, I have 15 years of experience in the corporate world, having worked for companies like Avery Dennison, a Fortune 500 company headquartered here in Glendale, and DTZ, a global real estate firm. My career included jobs like Assistant Controller, Senior Accountant, Global Mobility Director, and Executive Vice President of Compensation and Benefits. I have been teaching community college part-time since 2002 and a full-time instructor and department/program head for Glendale Community College since 2014.