Prior to Citiventure, Marilee was a Transit-Oriented Development Specialist for the Regional Transportation District (Denver); Regional Vice President for Trillium Corporation, a real estate development company; Director of Asset Management for the City and County of Denver; and Vice President of Wells Fargo Bank.

She holds a BA Mathematics from Colorado Women's College, an MBA from UCLA's Anderson School, and certificate in State and Local Public Policy from Harvard's Kennedy School.

Professional affiliations include the Counselor of Real Estate designation; member Urban Land Institute, CU Real Estate Center, CREW, the International Women's Forum and member Congress of New Urbanism.