Director of Communications and Content 

Behind Feeding San Diego’s voice is Carissa Casares, director of communications and content. With over 15 years of storytelling experience as both a journalist and communications professional, she has helped brands of all sizes reach global audiences. After a successful career in public relations—including launching the San Diego office of a national agency—Carissa moved in-house at Feeding San Diego to fulfill her goal of contributing to a more equitable society. 

Since joining the organization, she has more than tripled its social media following, generated billions of media impressions through targeted PR, and expanded the communications team to strengthen visual and written storytelling. In her day-to-day work, she drives awareness of the nonprofit’s mission by leading integrated storytelling and messaging strategies across owned, earned, and paid media. Her efforts highlight programs, partnerships, and community impact while advancing strategic goals.  

Prior to joining Feeding San Diego in 2021, Carissa worked in public relations, securing press and developing creative partnerships for culinary and lifestyle brands. She began at Bay Bird, Inc. as a senior publicist and later joined bread & Butter as an account supervisor, where she launched the San Diego office, grew a team, pitched new business, and worked with companies ranging from startups to global brands. She secured placements in top-tier outlets including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Food & Wine. 

After earning a B.A. in Journalism from San Diego State University, she worked as a journalist with bylines in local publications San Diego CityBeat and San Diego Magazine. 

As a San Diego native, Carissa is proud to have put down her own roots in City Heights, where she lives with her husband and their rescue dog, Gus. She fuels her creativity through travel, reading, hiking, and yoga.