A first-generation immigrant to the U.S. from the Philippines, Marissa Bañez is a graduate of Princeton University and an attorney licensed to practice in New York, California and New Jersey.  As a litigator defending Fortune 500 and Fortune 100 companies, she has written and published legal articles in the prestigious New York Law Journal and the Class Action and Derivatives Suits section of the American Bar Association, but her true passion in writing has always been her children’s stories. Marissa’s engaging stories encourage each child to embrace their individuality and reach their full potential within our beautiful, multi-cultural world.  She currently lives in New York City with her husband and daughter, whose childhood was filled with many original stories and puppet shows created entirely by her mom.  In her free time, Marissa likes to travel, design and sew clothes, cook, binge-watch Star Trek shows and Korean dramas, and occasionally strum a guitar.