Jessica Merizan Information

Cosplayer
Los Angeles, CA, USA

Biography:
Jessica Merizan is a rogue archaeologist turned costumed bard, traveling the world as XO of Crabcat Industries and the Lead Community Manager at BioWare Edmonton-Montreal, a division of Electronic Arts. Jessica grew up in Redlands, California donning costumes to entertain generally willing audiences ranging from tiny black box theaters to venues with seating in the thousands and considers herself a performer above all else. A lifelong creative, Jessica published her first poem at age six and has had a pen in her hand ever since.

She has since developed her talents in writing, poetry and acting, in addition to technical creative skills in set and lighting design. Her work has been featured in print, online and visual media such as Time Magazine, Official Xbox Magazine, PBS and Machinima. Jessica earned her BA in Anthropology with Highest Honors from University of Califonia, Berkeley and her MA from University College London in Material and Visual Culture - things you can touch and things you can see! After writing her dissertation on cosplay, consumerism, and fandom at pop culture conventions in 2010, she co-founded a company with her best friend Holly Conrad called Crabcat Industries. Crabcat focuses on promoting an inclusive teaching community to build costumes, props, and practical special effects as well as new-media entertainment with the brands "Try This At Home", "Commander Holly", and "Jessica Marzipan".

Currently, Jessica resides in Los Angeles with her husband Graham, a board gaming expert/lawyer, a little leopard gecko named Treestar, and a sassy Pomeranian mutt Grizzly Bee in an 1897 Victorian house that is, alas, seemingly ghost free.