Marissa Ranalli Zapata

2025-2026 Obama Foundation USA Leader

Headshot of Marissa Ranalli Zapata, 2025-2026 Obama Foundation USA Leader

Executive Director, Free Our Vote

New York City, New York

Marissa Ranalli Zapata is the executive director of Free Our Vote, a national organization that restores voting rights and rebuilds trust in democracy. Through her leadership, the organization has pioneered AI-driven outreach to engage over 500,000 people with past convictions across ten states and raised $1.3 million to accelerate the program’s expansion. Previously, Marissa built the corporate partnership program for When We All Vote, mobilizing companies to drive voter registration, resulting in over 120,000 new registrations. Marissa connects civic participation with tangible government benefits for people with past felony convictions—supporting voting rights restoration, economic opportunities, and access to safety-net services to foster trust and belonging.

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For emerging leaders who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing the common good.

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