About Marissa Nordstrom, MA

Advisor, guide, coach, alchemist, and writer.

Based on all the assessments and inventories I have taken plus my own lived experience; it is clear that I am someone who always plays on the edges and margins. Fundamentally interdisciplinary, I make connections across cultures, communities, fields, and belief systems. In my own professional life, this has meant a wide variety of jobs that all had a few unifying factors: curiosity, helping others, and making things better. I’ve worked in non-profits, state government, my own businesses, and healthcare. I have served as a coach and thought partner to dozens of executives.

I am bilingual English/Spanish, I designed my own bachelor’s degree in Southwest Studies, and I have a master’s in Intercultural Communication with an emphasis on diversity in the US. This is why my purpose is to help high performers with a heart of service and why my business is centered on the values of social justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

My tendency is to really pay attention regardless of what my formal role is in any given organization or group. I pay attention to how people do what they do, why they do it, what works well, what patterns exist, where do they stumble, what excuses are accepted, what divides them from potential alliances, what they fear, and what is meaningful. I end up being someone that many trust as a confidante. As a result, my own observations are informed by the lived experiences and perceptions of numerous others. I have a large capacity for empathy and a gift for synthesis and translation. 

I have had many challenging life experiences including, but not limited to, moving dozens of times, financial aid/student loans, divorce, self-doubt, serious endometriosis leading to two abdominal surgeries and a hysterectomy at age 29, adopting a child who is culturally different, having a father with numerous health challenges (kidney failure, heart disease, and cancer), and two brothers (1988 and 2007) and an ex-husband (2018) who died by suicide. I worked in a cancer center for over six years and this led me to face many of my own fears and learn to show up fearlessly with my whole heart. I want people to be resilient and live their best lives because I know that we cannot take anything for granted. I became a Certified Grief Educator in 2022.

The way I have always approached resume writing is to use the need to update or create the document as a springboard. It is a springboard into the authentic story of this person. Because I have personally used professional coaches numerous times and invested heavily in my own personal development, I am a clear channel to tune into the person and listen for what is true. I am “clair-sentient” so I feel it and use these cues to prompt the client for clarifications, deeper answers, or to consider a whole different angle. My intentions are pure and practical. I recognize the need for pragmatism and yet often also hear the deeper longings underneath. This could be as simple as what the person would really like to be known for or as complicated as a complete career change. 

After working on over 250 resumes*, I realized that while I can definitely accomplish the technical writing requirements, what I really love is the personal connection with someone who is seeking to live more authentically, use their life for good, and invest in their transformation. Therefore, my approach now is more in-depth and includes pre-work, an assessment, coaching, interview practice, action planning, and resources. It is a balance of intuitive insights, grounded support, and pragmatic tools.

I also consult on various organizational development, process improvement, coaching, and facilitation projects under the auspices of Organizational Rebel.

*Previously a Writer for Storeyline Resumes, the #1 searched resume service on LinkedIn.