Marissa Lightsey is the Executive Director of College and Career Readiness at the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) where she manages the Individual Career Academic Plan Implementation, Post–Secondary Partnerships, and college and career readiness strategies. 

Marissa earned a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Communications from Oklahoma Baptist University in 2010 and later earned a Master of Science in Human Resources from East Central University in 2014. 

Marissa previously served as Director of Career Development for OSDE at Oklahoma Baptist University Lightsey, and as the upward bound advisor for Seminole State College’s TRiO program. She also provided career and college advising to more than 700 students for Seminole State Colleges GEAR UP program. She began her career as communications associate for the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy where she shared the message of Oklahoma youth advocates statewide.