Policy and Legislative Expertise
Marisa has run her own successful consultancy business advising well known organisations across private sector and third sector helping them solve a range of problems through collaboration and alliances. She has influenced and changed a number of pieces of legislation and has been part of internal Government Expert Panels and co-chairs a Government Task Group. Her expertise is focused on farming, food production, animal health and welfare and conservation. She is a former Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, a Surrey County Councillor since 2006 and a former Borough Council Deputy Leader. She has a strong track record in delivering positive change and has obtained millions of pounds of funding for the community, for farming and the rural economy and for business including.
Political Experience
Marisa was first elected as a councillor on Runnymede Borough Council in 2003 when she was studying at Royal Holloway University. Marisa was deputy leader from 2017 to 2021 and was involved in large town regeneration projects, delivering a local plan and the COVID response.
Marisa was elected to Surrey County Council in 2006 and is Cabinet Member for Environment covering flooding, countryside management and net zero. Marisa has worked on the £600m+ River Thames Scheme as lead member for the project at Surrey working in close partnership with the Environment Agency and other partners. She is also chair of the Surrey Environment Partnership.
Marisa chaired the Surrey Planning Committee for over four years dealing with many large scale, controversial applications from oil and gas extraction in the Surrey Hills, major services on the M25 motorway and large scale waste and recycling facilities. She has a strong record in defending the Green Belt and protecting nature and she is a member of the Surrey Hills National Landscapes Board.
Marisa worked to support the community on Heathrow expansion and the change to flightpaths and has spent time working on the environmental impact of airports.
In 2024, Marisa stood as the Parliamentary candidate for Dorking & Horley constituency.
Wider Experience
She has been a school and college governor, and works closely with the Surrey universities often speaking at panels and alongside their representatives on joint environmental initiatives. She is currently a Governor to the St Peter's Medical School owing to her strong conviction that every child is entitled to a decent education. She has also had roles in Children’s Services and sat for over 8 years as a member of the Surrey Fostering Panel and as Deputy Cabinet Member for Children and Families. She is deeply committed to supporting young people who go through our systems and ensuring better transitions into adulthood which is a project she led when Deputy Cabinet Member. Marisa is always keen to speak at schools and colleges about the environment and animal welfare and how young people can influence the political agenda.
