A Champion for Women: How Marisa Micciantuono is Helping to Expand Inclusivity in the Workplace

This March, for Women’s History Month, we’re proud to shine a spotlight on Global Retention Lead, and a Co-Chair of our Women Inclusion Network (WIN), Marisa Micciantuono. 

When Marisa began her career in the corporate fashion retail industry, she didn’t expect to find herself in the energetic, growing, and ever-changing direct-to-consumer food world just a few years later. 

“I studied fashion marketing and I thought my whole life would have been in the fashion business,” she says. “My career began at Gap, where I started on the franchise team, then transitioned to a strategy role, analyzing general market trends, benchmarking against competitors, and looking at other revenue models.” After a little over five years, she found herself looking for a new opportunity to learn from, grow in, and explore. Today, Marisa is a Global Retention Lead here at HelloFresh and serves as Co-Chair for our Women Inclusion Network group. 

To learn what brought Marisa to HelloFresh, we sat down for a quick chat. Keep reading to learn more about her involvement with WIN and the company’s continuous efforts to support and uplift its communities.

HelloFresh: You began your career in the apparel industry, where you stayed for a little over five years before joining HelloFresh. What inspired you to make the jump over to the food space? 

Marisa: It wasn’t really the food that brought me, to be honest. It was something the former CEO of my previous company, Gap, had said during an All-Hands meeting once. Someone had asked her a question about where we were looking for talent from when hiring, and she mentioned it was essential to look for people outside of just the apparel space. She was looking for individuals who had experience with tech-enabled and direct-to-consumer brands with data-driven strategies. I realized this was an area of opportunity for me and a chance to see something outside of the only brand I had known professionally. And then an opportunity at HelloFresh—I started on the US Retention and Strategic Projects Team—popped up and it seemed like the perfect fit. 

HF: What made you want to become involved with WIN?

Marisa: I was very involved with the women’s Employee Resource Group (ERG) at Gap, so it felt natural to get involved when I joined HelloFresh. With large companies like Gap and HelloFresh, being part of an ERG is one way to get to know people from other teams and learn about their work. I love being involved in planning and organizing events, not just attending them. So, I joined WIN at HelloFresh, and now I have been involved for over two years. At first, I helped plan and lead the events as a social pillar, but starting this year, I’m one of the ERG Co-Chairs. 

HF: How do you view the community that’s been built through WIN here at HF?

Marisa: I have met so many amazing people through my involvement with WIN, and I am proud of how we have grown the community over the past few years. One of our goals this year is to organize more in-person events across all of our locations, not just in the New York City headquarters. Personally, these programs have helped me learn more about the various roles across the company—logistics, operations, etc—which are different from my marketing role. By understanding how the whole business operates, I can be better at my job and have a more holistic view of the company. I’ve also made some great friends. 

Helping others develop in their careers is something I’m also passionate about, especially helping young women figure out where they see themselves. Creating a safe space where we can talk, give and receive advice, and support each other is so important. Lateral movement within an organization and finding the right place for everyone is critical, particularly when people are just starting their careers. Sometimes people start in one role that might not be the best fit for them, so it’s crucial to allow them to find the place where they can thrive. This is one of the things that not only makes the WIN community special, but HelloFresh special as well.

HF: What does allyship look like to you? Specifically, from the people who don’t identify as women, but who want to make sure that they’re doing all they can as individuals to support the women in their office? 

Marisa: Just be aware. Ask yourself: Am I making space for this person to contribute to the conversation? Am I aware of the potential struggles that different communities go through that maybe I have not experienced? In any conversation, it is important to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to be heard. Educating ourselves on these issues can help us create a more inclusive environment where everyone, especially the people with potentially quieter voices or who feel like they can’t speak up, feel valued and respected. 

A few ways HelloFresh’s WIN ERG connects with its community:

Coffee Chats

One of the many efforts that WIN oversees is recurring coffee chats—open to everyone—to discuss a variety of topics. Whether it’s women’s equality, inclusion, or equity, all of it is talked about in an open dialogue. Many times, these chats turn into safe spaces for people to bond, connect, and build community outside of work. 

Panel Discussions

While the bagels at the coffee chats are crowd-favorites, the panel discussions that WIN hosts bring in powerful internal and external voices for all of HelloFresh to hear. 

Community Events

HelloFresh is very passionate about helping our community. WIN and other ERGs work with nonprofit organizations to expand our company-wide social impact. WIN members recently packed and donated meal kits to the Lower East Side Girls Club for a cooking event they hosted. They also work with women’s shelters and community centers around the city. 

Mentorship Program

In 2023, the development pillar of WIN launched a woman-focused mentorship program where employees can help each other grow through shared knowledge and skills. As of today, there are more than 50 participants, and Marisa anticipates the number will increase this year. The program has seen significant success and has helped build a strong community among the team. 

To learn more about WIN and our ERGs, keep reading here.