In the course of her tenure at MacArthur, Marlies has participated in more than fifteen classes of Fellows, shepherding dossiers in every domain. She also serves as an internal advisor to MacArthur Journalism and Media, and Criminal Justice Programs.
Prior to joining the Foundation in 2001, Marlies held executive positions in economic research at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, in financial services at First National Bank of Chicago and in Fortune 500 corporation advertising at the Leo Burnett Agency in Chicago. After more than a decade in banking and advertising, she turned her energies toward the creative arts. As an independent film producer and director, she produced concept pieces, short films, and a feature-length movie, each exploring contemporary social issues.
Marlies served as a Regional Juror for the White House Fellows Program 2008-2014 and has been a Board member of the Harper Court Arts Council since 2010. She received a Bachelor of Arts in political economy from Williams College and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago, with a concentration in finance. She also completed course work toward a Master of Fine Arts in film production from Northwestern University.
