Marissa Leifer is a New York based genealogist who became interested in the field while working on her own genealogy almost a decade ago.  With limited familial resources and even more limited family photographs and documents, she sought formal training from a professional genealogist and began to journey into her past. She has since helped others trace their genealogy back as far as the first millennium.

Marissa quickly realized her passion for helping people solve the fascinating puzzles of their pasts and transitioned from a successful career in publishing to a full-time genealogist.  She realized that her versatile skill set and out-of-the box thinking, which made her successful at several Time Inc. publications including People magazine, was the same skill set required for genealogy and one that would set her apart from others in the industry.

Researching her own roots has allowed her to become an expert in document retrieval from several countries in Europe and countless cities in the United States.  She prides herself on her unique ability to decipher the documents and utilize each clue as a way unlock more information. Through word of mouth and a highly respected reputation, she currently works with clients including; internet executives, interior designers, psychologists and young professionals. 

Marissa has created a presentation format used to introduce clients to their family showing the connection to the family as a whole, the specific relationship to the client, integrating photographs and handwritten notes, along with information on the time period to give a broader perspective as to what life was life for the ancestors at that time, ranging from experiences during Revolutionary War to immigrants leaving Ireland during the potato famine to life pre-Holocaust Europe through WW2.  Marissa becomes part of the family, knowing relatives better than her clients!