Marisa Acocella

Marisa Acocella is an American cartoonist and New York Times bestselling author known for her contributions to graphic storytelling and comics. After graduating from Pratt Institute, Acocella worked as an art director at J. Walter Thompson, a Madison Avenue advertising agency. She later co-founded Kirshenbaum and Bond, a boutique advertising agency, before becoming a senior vice president at Young & Rubicam. During her tenure in advertising, Acocella began developing her cartooning career, creating the comic strip "She," which became a regular feature in Mirabella magazine and explored themes of fashion and life choices. Acocella's work has also appeared in The New Yorker, where her cartoons satirize aspects of Manhattan life.

Acocella's graphic memoir "Cancer Vixen" draws from her personal experience with breast cancer, chronicling her diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. The memoir was recognized by Time as one of the top ten graphic memoirs and was a finalist for the National Cartoonists Society Graphic Novel of the Year. It was also named Slate.com's Medical Book of the Year and was included in The Wall Street Journal's Five Best Books on Living with Illness. HBO announced development of a "Cancer Vixen" film adaptation starring Cate Blanchett.

Acocella's other works include the graphic novel "Ann Tenna," which centers on a gossip columnist's transformative journey after a near-fatal accident, and "The Big She-Bang: The Herstory of the Universe According to God the Mother," which explores themes of the Divine Female and balance in the universe. Her cartoons and illustrations have appeared in The New York Times, Advertising Age, Glamour, W, and O, The Oprah Magazine, among other publications.

In addition to her creative work, Acocella is active in advocacy and philanthropy related to women's health. She has donated royalties from "Cancer Vixen" to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and founded The Cancer Vixen Fund, which provides free mammograms for uninsured women in New York City. The Marisa Acocella Foundation supports free integrative therapies and cold capping for women undergoing chemotherapy at Mount Sinai Dubin Breast Center and Mount Sinai Beth Israel Comprehensive Cancer Center, as well as empowerment programs focused on wellness and recovery. Acocella is recognized for her work in comics, graphic novels, and women's health advocacy.