Marilyn Zayfert is a Brooklyn native who has spent her career in sales, marketing, education and community work.

She founded illumiNET Media in 2009 and has worked with more than 100 businesses, nonprofits and cultural organizations. Her work has ranged from digital marketing and business development to grant writing and helping clients figure out how new tools, including AI, can actually be useful to them.

Marilyn was also the publisher and executive editor of Staten Island NYC Living for more than 14 years. She built the publication into an award-winning local resource covering the people, places and events that shaped Staten Island. It was named “Best NYC Blog on Staten Island” five years in a row and was recognized as the borough’s #2 online digital publication.

Long before digital marketing became her business, Marilyn built her career at Roche Diagnostics. She was a top salesperson, handled major healthcare accounts, wrote training materials and trained others. She was also part of the development team for AccuData, bringing what she learned in the field back into the company.

During COVID, Marilyn joined United Activities Unlimited and worked in workforce development, employer engagement and marketing. It was a strange time to be helping young people find internships and jobs, but that was the work. Programs had to be rethought quickly, and she was part of making that happen.

She later taught Applications of Social Media at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She approached the classroom the same way she approached her client work. Keep it practical. Show people how things work. Give them something they can use.

Marilyn holds a Master of Science in Education from St. John’s University and a Bachelor of Science from Brooklyn College, where she studied biology, health science, and nutrition.