In 2012, Marissa Lira began her work in HIV/AIDS when she won a David L. Boren Scholarship, which enabled her to secure an internship at a rural hospital in Nyeri, Kenya, where she collaborated with community health workers to conduct HIV/AIDS prevention and education. She then returned to the United States to finish her Bachelor’s degree in International Development with an emphasis in community health from the University of Arizona, where she graduated with honors and received the Outstanding Senior of the Year Award. After graduation, she returned to her home state of Texas and is currently the HIV Contract Analyst for the Bexar County Ryan White Program.