Marian Fontana has been a writer and performer for the past 20 years. Her articles have appeared in The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Elle, Parenting and Martha Stewart magazine. Her most recent book, A Widows Walk was on the New York Times best selling memoir list and was chosen as the Top Ten Great Reads of 2005 by People magazine and the Washington Post’s Book Raves of 2005. The Kirkus Book Review gave it a star rating, calling it “an engrossing and inspiring 9/11 memoir.” “An astonishing new memoir” by Vanity Fair and “the debut of a gifted writer” by Newsweek. Marian has also made appearances on “This American Life, The Brian Leherer Show and the Satellite Sisters Radio programs, the latter choosing Marian’s book as their favorite for 2005.

As a comedienne and actress, Marian has written and performed in 3 plays and 4 one-woman shows including “A Woman and her Bassoon” which was selected for the Playwrights Horizons Summerfest and “Bassoon Pieces” at Variety Arts Theater.

After losing her husband on September 11th, 2001, Marian became a political activist founding the 9-11 Families Association which has advocated for firefighters and the 9-11 victims families. Her work has been chronicled in The New York Times, The Daily News, New York Post, Washington Post and the LA Times. She has appeared as a guest on CNN, MSNBC, Dateline NBC, Larry King, Charlie Rose and many others. Her organization is slated to open “Tribute” a 9-11 Visitors Center in September, 2006 which is currently offering tours of Ground Zero given by the 9-11 Community including rescue workers, survivors, residents, family members and others.

She currently serves as Board President for TributeWTC, and serves on The LMDC Family Advisory Board, The FDNY Family Advisory committee, The Ebbets Field Memorial Foundation and the Committee for the 2011 Police and Fire Games.

www.911families.org
www.tributenyc.org
www.marianfontana.com

Honorary Degree/Commencement