is the author of The Endangered Series. Each book in this collection of children’s literature, illustrated by Alexsandra Szmidt, centers on an endangered protagonist who, against an existential threat, embarks on a heartwarming, poetic, and ultimately hopeful adventure—discovering, through the twists and turns, what it means to care for their home and the dazzling creatures who inhabit it. The first book, Kula, releases in 2025.
Alissa was born in Australia. Back then, she was enamored with leaping into the biggest ocean waves she could find, and a picture book titled The Deliverance of the Dancing Bears. It wasn’t until decades later, however, after relocating to New York City, that this Aussie girl, who became a fashion executive, pursued her enduring passion for storytelling and conservation in the hopes of inspiring children, like those waves and dancing bears inspired her.
Alissa writes environmental essays and is involved with several conservation organizations, including Koala Conservation Australia and Trunks Up USA. In 2024, Alissa published Cold Spring, NY, a coffee table book of black-and-white photographs she and her husband snapped in upstate New York. They live in Brooklyn with their son and dog.