Meet a Colleague: Marisa Charley Marisa Charley serves as associate director of the Shepherd Program, director of the Bonner Programs and instructor of Poverty Studies.

W&L News Office
February 11, 2026

Q. How long have you worked at W&L?
This year is my 14th here at W&L.

Q. What is your favorite course to teach? 
Tough call — I’ve loved them all. Right now I’m teaching POV202: Respect, Community, and The Civic Life. As part of this course, students are designing and facilitating Civic Health Club programs in partnership with three local businesses. The work is so collaborative and hopeful!

Q. If you chose a different path, what other career would you have?
In another life, I stick with medical school and am an organ transplant specialist.

Q. Where did you grow up?
Mostly on the coast north of Boston.

Q. What was your favorite subject in school?
Social studies.

Q. What three words describe you best?
Passionate, empathic and a learner.

Q. Name one person from history you would like to spend a day with and why.
Amelia Earhart — I gotta know!

Q. Who is the most famous person you have met and where did you meet them?
I once drove Michael Pollan (famous food systems writer) to his talk on campus minutes after driving my roommates to McDonald’s. The whole car smelled like Happy Meals and there’s no way he couldn’t tell. I also had brunch next to Richard Dreyfuss, but that reference feels like it ages me.

Q. What is your biggest pet peeve?
Apathy.

Q. What is your least favorite chore at home?
Dishes. And bless my husband, I haven’t washed a single one in years.

Q. What is your favorite family holiday tradition?
Every Christmas Eve we throw some kind of party and invite pals and neighbors who’ve loved us well through the year. It’s changed shape as our kids have grown up, but it’s a treasured part of our holiday season.

Q. What is the most adventurous thing that you have ever done?
I did Semester at Sea as an undergraduate, and it forced me to have lots of adventures that are some of my favorite memories. However, the most adventurous thing I’ve done so far is become a mom. What a ride!

Q. What do you pretend to hate but secretly love?
Gluten.

Q. What is your all-time favorite food or food dish?
I once had fried green tomatoes with crab on top. Since then, everything else has been playing for second.

Q. Where would you choose to build your dream home?
Probably here! But if it had to be somewhere else I’d head back toward the ocean.

Q. If you could choose one series to binge-watch, what would it be?
“Friends.” I used to own all of the DVDs back in the day!

Q. What is your all-time favorite movie?
“Mrs. Doubtfire.”

Q. Tell us something most people don’t know about you.
When I was a kid, I made up an alter-ego to blame my bad behavior on — her name was Matrisa. Sometimes I still blame her in my head when I make mistakes.

Q. Anything else you’d like to share?
Come check out our Civic Health Club Programs throughout this semester! They’re going to be a fun and engaging opportunity to get to know more of our neighbors beyond the confines of campus, while exploring everything that makes a community, a community. Follow @wlushepherd to stay in the loop!