Marissa Monroy

With more than 15 years of media relations, government coordination and journalism experience, Marissa Monroy currently serves as the Director of Communications for Austin Energy, the 7th largest public utility in the country. Austin Energy serves more than 500,000 customers and more than one million residents. In this role, Marissa leads the utility’s talented and dynamic communications team in creating and implementing communication and marketing plans for high-profile initiatives that focus on renewable power, energy conservation and customer affordability. This work also allows her to serve the community in numerous ways through efforts such as the award-winning Customer Assistance Program that helps customers in financial need and through the Austin Energy Regional Science Festival that brings together 3,000 students from the Central Texas region to advance STEM education.

Previously, Marissa served as the communications lead for the Austin Transportation Department where she worked on multimillion-dollar mobility bond efforts, safety improvements at Austin’s most dangerous intersections, upgrades to the local bicycle and pedestrian network, transit priority lane implementation and more. This work allowed Marissa to address and support equity for low-income communities and communities of color, identifying and overcoming barriers to safe, reliable, and active transportation.

Marissa has a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Southern California and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame. When she’s not nerding out on energy and transportation, she can usually be found volunteering with the Notre Dame Alumni Club, exploring Austin on her electric bike, or hanging out near the table with the carbs.