As Senior Parenting & Relationships Editor at Good Housekeeping, Marisa LaScala decodes the evolving landscape of family dynamics through a blend of data journalism and intimate storytelling. Based in Brooklyn with deep roots in Westchester County, her work bridges academic research and grassroots movements.
"Every permission slip is a policy document – we just don’t recognize it until someone’s left off the emergency contact list."
LaScala’s National Press Foundation fellowship and McSweeney’s satirical pieces demonstrate unique range in addressing systemic issues through both rigorous reporting and cultural commentary. Her work continues to influence both household conversations and legislative agendas.
Marisa LaScala has cultivated a 15-year career dissecting the complexities of modern family life through a lens that blends empathy with rigorous reporting. Beginning as a freelance contributor for regional publications like Westchester Magazine, she honed her ability to identify underreported angles in lifestyle journalism. Her 2018 transition to Good Housekeeping as Senior Parenting & Relationships Editor marked a pivotal shift into national influence, where she now oversees a team analyzing societal shifts in caregiving dynamics.
"Equal parenting isn't about spreadsheet perfection – it's about recognizing how systemic biases infiltrate school permission slips and pediatrician intake forms."
This 4,200-word investigation deconstructs the stagnation of domestic labor equity post-pandemic. LaScala combines Census Bureau data on time-use surveys with intimate portraits of seven families attempting non-traditional chore divisions. Her methodology reveals a critical gap between egalitarian ideals and institutional roadblocks – particularly how school systems and healthcare providers reinforce "default parent" stereotypes through administrative practices. The article sparked a reader-driven campaign that prompted 23 school districts to revise emergency contact forms.
LaScala reframes knitting circles and birdwatching as radical acts of self-care in this counterintuitive examination of intergenerational skill-sharing. By interviewing gerontologists and millennials participating in senior center programs, she identifies how tactile crafts combat digital fatigue. The piece includes a replicable framework for community organizations to create cross-generational mentorship programs, cited by 14 public library systems in their pandemic recovery initiatives.
Demonstrating range beyond service journalism, this darkly comic piece uses Columbia University’s campus politics as a microcosm to critique performative allyship. LaScala’s signature blend of personal narrative and cultural analysis shines through as she juxtaposes her family’s Holocaust history with contemporary political theater, revealing how extremism becomes normalized through media cycles.
LaScala consistently highlights programs bridging age gaps, like her coverage of Baltimore’s “Stitch & Bitch” knitting collective pairing retirees with new mothers. Successful pitches might explore:
- Senior-led childcare cooperatives reducing preschool costs
- Tech-free summer camps using analog games from the 1970s
- Multigenerational housing arrangements solving elder/child care dual needs
Her analysis of school forms inadvertently enforcing parental roles demonstrates interest in institutional audits. Pitch investigations into:
- Corporate leave policies that disadvantage non-birthing parents
- Pediatric EHR systems defaulting to maternal contact info
- Local legislation affecting family dynamics (e.g., “right to disconnect” laws)
From her viral critique of breast pump design stagnation, LaScala seeks innovations in physical care tools:
- Ergonomic products for disabled caregivers
- Sustainable alternatives to single-use parenting gear
- Safety-certified open-source designs for DIY baby equipment
As one of 16 journalists selected for the Future of the American Child program, LaScala participated in policy briefings with CDC officials and developmental economists. Her fellowship project examined how SNAP benefit calculations fail to account for regional childcare costs, influencing USDA reform proposals.
Her 2023 workshop on “Reported Essays That Sell” at the American Society of Journalists and Authors conference distilled techniques for balancing data with narrative – now incorporated into NYU’s journalism curriculum. Attendees praised her framework for pitching sensitive topics to mainstream outlets without compromising depth.
When We Split Household Duties, Everyone Wins. Why Won’t We Do It?
Why 'Grandma Hobbies' Could Be the Secret to Better Mental Health
As an American Jew, I Feel Completely Reassured for My Safety Now That Trump Has Targeted the Epicenter of American Antisemitism, Columbia University
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Lifestyle, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
