Andy Braff ’00 & Marissa Sprank Braff ’00

Marissa Sprank Braff ’00 and Andy Braff ’00 have been supporters of Whitman College—and specifically Upward Together—in many ways through their volunteering and giving over the years. Both are active members of the President’s Advisory Board while taking on other opportunities to network and connect with students. They formed the Andrew and Marissa Braff Scholarship Endowment, which provides need-based scholarship support for Whitman students, with a preference for students matriculating from eastern Washington or Idaho. The Braffs have also contributed to support the STEM Hub and the Phi Delta Theta house. 

Marissa graduated with a degree in Biology, minoring in Spanish and Chemistry. On campus, she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta. After Whitman, she earned a doctorate in Biomedical Sciences at University of California, San Diego, before starting her career in the biotech industry. She has held positions at Gilead Sciences and Seattle Genetics (Seagen), and now serves as Vice President of Oncology Global Regulatory Strategy at Pfizer, Inc. 

Andy earned his degree in Politics with a minor in History while being an active participant and serving as president in his fraternity, Phi Delta Theta. After Whitman, Andy served as a Legislative Assistant to the late Congressman George R. Nethercutt Jr. and earned his law degree at the University of Washington. Andy currently practices law as Senior Counsel in the Energy and Climate Solutions group at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.

The Braffs reside in North Bend, Washington, with their two children, Ashelyn and Adeline. They enjoy coming back to campus, as they so often do, notably for their 25th Reunion in 2025.