Marissa Boylan
(TNC) — Marissa Boylan is the Micronesia Coral Reefs Program advisor at The Nature Conservancy Micronesia and Polynesia. She helps coordinate projects that protect reefs, restore damaged areas, and support sustainable livelihoods. Overall, she ensures communities have the tools and support they need to lead conservation in ways that reflect their cultures and priorities.
Her path to TNC started in high school, when she chose to complete her service hours at the Pohnpei office. What began as volunteering turned into an internship, and years later into a full-time role. “Two different family members sent me the same job posting,” Marissa recalls. “It felt like such a natural step, and now I get to work alongside some of the same people I first met as a teenager.”
Marissa studied Environmental Science and Women & Gender Studies at Santa Clara University. Before joining TNC, she worked in California supporting newly relocated refugees, and later consulted on bringing a gender perspective into conservation projects in Micronesia.
Since joining TNC, Marissa has helped manage projects across Micronesia, keeping work on track through partners, contractors, and community teams. She also gathers data to guide decisions, supports reporting, and represents the program in regional and global spaces, ensuring Micronesian voices are part of broader conservation conversations. For her, the most meaningful moments come from working directly with communities across Micronesia. Growing up in Pohnpei, she was familiar with just one culture, but meeting and working alongside other island communities has given her a much deeper appreciation for the diversity and nuance that exists across the region.
Outside of work, Marissa stays active and outdoors, often hiking, swimming, or diving. She traces her love for nature back to her childhood spent exploring mangroves, climbing trees, and swimming in Pohnpei’s waters. Those early experiences gave her a deep appreciation for her island home and its people, which continue to drive her commitment to conservation today.
