About Marisa Díaz-Arce

Marisa Díaz-Arce was raised on the West Side of Chicago in an under resourced neighborhood during the 1980s and 1990s by a single mother who taught her the importance of education, hard work, and community. A proud Puerto Rican woman and graduate of Chicago Public Schools, Marisa has always been driven by a commitment to uplift others, especially young people of color facing systemic barriers.

Her dedication to equity and education led her to become a CPS teacher and later take on leadership roles such as Director of Logistics and Operations for the Daniel Ramos Puerto Rican Festival and Co Jefa of Lolita Productions LLC, where she supported community centered arts and culture.

Marisa is a co founder and serves as Board Chair of Dándole Tech NFP, where she helps lead the vision and strategy to close the digital divide by increasing access to technology and educational opportunities for students from marginalized communities.

She is the Director of Brand Activations, Tenant Partnership and Engagement at Navy Pier Inc., where she leads community engagement efforts, curates events that uplift Chicago based organizations and small businesses, and builds partnerships with experiential marketing companies. She also runs Marisa Diaz-Arce LLC, where she consults on event strategy and production.

In all of her work, Marisa centers community, education, and opportunity—bringing people together while creating more inclusive spaces for everyone.