Marisa Casagrande

Marisa Casagrande is a senior researcher at Cardus. 

Deeply interested in community-based policy approaches to human flourishing and wellbeing, Marisa Casagrande’s background includes over 10 years of research and analysis in this area, with some occasionally forays into the teaching of young minds. She has worked in academia as well as the non-profit and government sector, often acting as a liaison between these spaces. Most recently Marisa has served as a policy advisor for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Prior to this, Marisa worked on projects for Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Human Resources and Social Development Canada, and Cardus Health, including a case study on end-of-life care in Ottawa.

Marisa holds a Ph.D (ABD) in Comparative Public Policy from McMaster University. Her doctoral research explored federal approaches to addressing complex issues at a local level and focused on immigration and newcomer strategies in Canada. Marisa also holds an M.A. in International Relations, and a B.A. from the University of Waterloo in Political Science, with minors in Peace and Conflict Studies and economics. 

When Marisa is in the city, she thrives on the exchange of ideas. On her downtime, she loves spending time with family and friends, preferably close to nature and a dock, with a good book close at hand.