Key Facts
Career & Education
About
Marissa Streit is an American-Israeli businesswoman and media executive who has served as CEO of PragerU since 2011, with her role as CEO formally noted from 2017 in some sources. She oversees the organization's content production and expansion into digital media, focusing on conservative education and advocacy. Streit joined the nonprofit, founded by radio host Dennis Prager, in its early days around 2011, initially in operational roles before ascending to Chief Executive Officer. Born in Los Angeles, California, to an Australian father and a Moroccan mother who met in Israel, she experienced a multicultural upbringing. Following her parents' divorce, Streit relocated to Israel with her mother during her childhood, where she completed her primary education and later served in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) as a member of the elite Unit 8200, an intelligence unit renowned for its cyber and signals intelligence operations. This military service shaped her early career in technology and security, developing skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, and strategic analysis before she returned to the United States as a young adult to pursue higher education.
Streit holds a Bachelor's degree in Business and Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Master's degree in Education and Non-Profit Management from the American Jewish University (AJU). Under her leadership, PragerU has grown into a prominent digital media platform producing short, conservative-leaning educational videos promoting Judeo-Christian values, conservative principles, free enterprise, individual liberty, and American exceptionalism on topics like history, economics, and culture, reaching millions through social media, digital media, and partnerships to counter perceived leftist/liberal biases in education and entertainment. The organization has faced criticism for spreading misinformation and was designated as an anti-LGBTQ hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) in 2019, with Streit defending its mission as countering liberal bias in education.
Streit has been involved in lobbying efforts, including support for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump, and PragerU has received significant funding from conservative donors like Farris Wilks. Her tenure at PragerU has included collaborations with figures like Ben Shapiro and Allen Estrin, and the organization has encountered adversarial actions such as censorship by YouTube and smears from the SPLC. Despite controversies, including allegations of promoting discriminatory content, PragerU under Streit has expanded its reach, partnering with schools and producing content endorsed by conservative leaders. As a dual citizen, Streit bridges American and Israeli influences in her professional life, with PragerU often aligning with pro-Israel and conservative viewpoints. Her dual American-Israeli background and military experience inform the organization's mission. Her personal life remains largely private, with limited public information on family or health.