Merissa Russie is the Multilingual Education Licensure Specialist for Project Momentum and an accomplished educational leader specializing in multilingual learner education and program development. She began her career as an ELD teacher in Minnesota's northern suburbs before teaching dual-identified multilingual learners in a district serving primarily students in Setting IV Special Education and Alternative Learning.

Transitioning to a charter school in her neighborhood of South Minneapolis, Merissa developed a large and thriving program for multilingual learners. Merissa also managed a Grow Your Own grant to increase the number of licensed staff of color. Merissa’s dedication to education has taken her around the world, including teaching experiences in Jordan and Palestine, as well as with adult learners in the Twin Cities. Merissa holds a K-12 School Principal License, an M.S. in Community & Social Services, and a B.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language.