Maressa is the Eat Local First Director at Sustainable Connections where she has worked for the past seven years. She brings to the role over two decades of expertise in marketing, website development, communications, and project management. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with a wide array of organizations, from small family businesses to high-volume retail outlets. Among her achievements is the development and launch of the regional Food Atlas in 2019, which laid the groundwork for the statewide WA Food & Farm Finder, a vital resource connecting buyers, agencies, and consumers with Washington farms and food businesses. For the past three years, Maressa has led the Eat Local First Collaborative, fostering partnerships and initiatives that bolster local food systems across the state.