Marisa Castellano, Ph.D.

Marisa Castellano has extensive research experience at the nexus of K12 and postsecondary education, aligning curriculum and other opportunities to improve student transitions. Marisa is motivated by a desire to improve life opportunities for underserved populations. She has worked with K12 and community college districts to conduct program needs assessments, quality reviews, and evaluations. Prior to joining WestEd, Marisa directed studies on student outcomes in career pathways at the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education. Marisa’s teaching experience includes teaching work-based English as a Second Language (ESL) in a union-based hospital program and English as a foreign language at the university level in Chiapas, Mexico. Marisa holds a Ph.D. in Education from the University of California, Berkeley.