Who is Marisa Rizzuti from Jeopardy?

Marisa Rizzuti, MPA, is an American nonprofit fundraising professional and philanthropic administrator who has dedicated her career to helping charitable organizations create long-term impact through planned giving and estate administration. Originally from Centerport, New York, and now based in New York City, she serves as Director of Planned Giving Administration at UNICEF USA, where she works with donors and their families to ensure charitable gifts continue supporting vulnerable children around the world.

Rizzuti gained national recognition after appearing as a contestant on Jeopardy! in July 2026, where she was introduced as a Director of Planned Giving originally from Centerport, New York. While television viewers met her through the long-running quiz show, her professional career has been built around philanthropy, public service, volunteerism and nonprofit leadership.

Leading Planned Giving at UNICEF USA

Marisa Rizzuti currently serves as Director of Planned Giving Administration at UNICEF USA, a position she assumed in January 2026 after more than eight years with the organization.

Her career at UNICEF USA reflects steady advancement through increasingly senior leadership roles. She joined the organization in January 2018 as an Associate, Planned Giving, before being promoted to Manager, Planned Giving in July 2022, Assistant Director, Planned Giving in June 2024, and ultimately Director, Planned Giving Administration.

In her current position, Rizzuti oversees the administration of charitable gifts left through wills, trusts and estates. She works closely with estate representatives, attorneys, executors and donor families to administer planned gifts while ensuring donors’ wishes are fulfilled accurately and efficiently.

Her responsibilities include estate settlement, legacy gift administration, charitable asset management and advising on planned giving strategies. These gifts provide an important source of long-term funding for UNICEF’s humanitarian programs supporting children affected by poverty, conflict, disasters and other global challenges.

Through this work, Rizzuti helps ensure that charitable legacies continue making a difference for future generations.

Building a Career in Nonprofit Fundraising

Throughout her career, Marisa Rizzuti has specialized in nonprofit fundraising, donor relations, planned giving and charitable administration.

Before joining UNICEF USA, she worked as a Finance Associate at TSG Reporting from June 2010 until January 2018. The litigation support company provides court reporters, legal videographers and interpreters to law firms, corporations and legal professionals throughout the world. During her nearly eight years there, she developed extensive experience in financial administration, customer service and organizational management.

Earlier in her career, she served as an Administrative Assistant at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, one of the United States’ premier corporate law firms, during 2008. Later that year she broadened her international experience by completing an internship with Tender in London, gaining exposure to professional environments outside the United States.

These early experiences helped lay the administrative and organizational foundation for her eventual transition into nonprofit leadership and philanthropic administration.

Expanding Her Global Social Impact Experience

In 2021, Marisa Rizzuti participated as a Global Social Impact Fellow with MovingWorlds, an international fellowship designed to strengthen nonprofit and social enterprise leaders.

The intensive fellowship focused on human-centered design, global leadership, coaching, mentoring, social enterprise, consulting, cross-cultural collaboration and social impact frameworks. Participants work alongside mission-driven organizations while developing practical approaches to solving complex social challenges.

For Rizzuti, the fellowship expanded her understanding of international development and strengthened skills that complement her work at UNICEF USA. The experience reinforced her commitment to creating meaningful social impact through collaboration, leadership and community engagement.

A Strong Academic Foundation in Public Administration

Marisa Rizzuti’s educational background combines history, nonprofit management and public administration.

She earned a Master of Public Administration (MPA) in Nonprofit Administration from Baruch College, City University of New York, studying between 2015 and 2017. The graduate program focuses on nonprofit leadership, fundraising, financial management, public policy and organizational administration, providing the skills needed to lead mission-driven organizations.

Prior to graduate school, Rizzuti graduated cum laude from Marist College with a Bachelor of Arts in History between 2006 and 2010.

During her undergraduate years she participated actively in campus life as a member of Alpha Sigma Tau sorority and Marist Cheerleading. She also completed a semester abroad in London through the Foundation for International Education (FIE) in 2008, broadening her international educational experience.

Her combination of humanities education and specialized nonprofit training has shaped a career focused on philanthropy, leadership and public service.

A Longstanding Commitment to Volunteerism

Volunteer service has remained one of the defining themes of Marisa Rizzuti’s career.

Since April 2016, she has volunteered extensively with New York Cares, one of New York City’s largest volunteer organizations. Through the organization, she has supported numerous community groups, including:

• GMHC
• The New Jewish Home
• Church of the Village
• God’s Love We Deliver
• Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition
• Terence Cardinal Cooke Healthcare Center
• Rescuing Leftover Cuisine

Between 2016 and 2019, she also served as a New York Cares Team Leader, coordinating weekly community meal volunteers while leading major volunteer initiatives such as New York Cares Day and the 9/11 Day of Service.

Her extensive volunteer contributions earned her the Presidential Service Award (Bronze) through New York Cares, recognizing her commitment to community engagement and public service.

Rizzuti has spoken about her passion for encouraging others to become involved in volunteerism, believing that meaningful social change begins with individual acts of service.

Professional Leadership and Nonprofit Expertise

In addition to her daily responsibilities, Marisa Rizzuti remains active in professional development and nonprofit leadership.

She is affiliated with Nu Lambda Mu and Pi Alpha Alpha, organizations recognizing achievement in public administration and nonprofit leadership. She has also been an active member of UNICEF USA Toastmasters since September 2018, continuing to develop leadership and public speaking skills.

Her professional expertise includes:

• Planned giving administration
• Estate administration
• Legacy giving
• Nonprofit fundraising
• Donor relations
• Volunteer management
• Research and writing
• Copy editing
• Guidestar
• Microsoft Office, Excel and Outlook
• Organizational administration
• Customer service

These skills have helped her build a successful career managing complex charitable gifts while maintaining strong relationships with donors, families and legal professionals.

Appearing on Jeopardy!

Marisa Rizzuti introduced herself to a national audience through her appearance on Jeopardy! in July 2026.

On the program, she was introduced as a Director of Planned Giving originally from Centerport, New York, reflecting the professional accomplishments that had already defined her career before appearing on television.

Like many Jeopardy! contestants, Rizzuti brings an impressive academic background and broad range of professional experiences to the competition. Her career in nonprofit leadership, fundraising and public administration highlights the diverse professions represented on the long-running quiz show.

A Career Focused on Lasting Social Impact

Marisa Rizzuti has built her professional life around helping others create meaningful and lasting change.

Whether administering charitable estates for UNICEF USA, volunteering throughout New York City or encouraging greater community involvement through nonprofit leadership, her work consistently reflects a commitment to philanthropy, humanitarian service and public engagement.

Her appearance on Jeopardy! introduced viewers to a nonprofit professional whose career extends well beyond fundraising, encompassing volunteer leadership, international social impact, community service and the long-term stewardship of charitable giving.

Marisa Rizzuti Quick Facts

Field	Details
Full Name	Marisa Rizzuti, MPA
Originally From	Centerport, New York, United States
Current Residence	New York City, New York, United States
Profession	Nonprofit fundraising professional, philanthropic administrator
Current Position	Director, Planned Giving Administration, UNICEF USA (January 2026–Present)
Previous UNICEF Roles	Assistant Director, Planned Giving; Manager, Planned Giving; Associate, Planned Giving
Previous Employers	TSG Reporting; Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz; Tender (London internship)
Additional Professional Experience	Global Social Impact Fellow, MovingWorlds (2021)
Education	Master of Public Administration (MPA), Nonprofit Administration, Baruch College, CUNY (2015–2017)
Undergraduate Education	Bachelor of Arts in History, cum laude, Marist College (2006–2010)
International Study	Foundation for International Education (FIE), London (2008)
Volunteer Organizations	New York Cares, GMHC, The New Jewish Home, Church of the Village, God’s Love We Deliver, Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition, Terence Cardinal Cooke Healthcare Center, Rescuing Leftover Cuisine
Volunteer Leadership	New York Cares Team Leader (2016–2019)
Award	Presidential Service Award (Bronze), New York Cares
Professional Memberships	Nu Lambda Mu, Pi Alpha Alpha, UNICEF USA Toastmasters
Areas of Expertise	Planned giving, estate administration, legacy giving, nonprofit fundraising, donor relations, volunteer management
Jeopardy! Appearance	July 15, 2026
Nationality	American
Ethnicity	Italian-American
Gender	Female
Age	Not publicly available
Date of Birth	Not publicly available
Relationship Status	Not publicly available
Family	Not publicly available