Biography
Mari was born and raised on New York City's Upper West Side. Her father was a civil rights attorney who represented the activists at The Stonewall Riots and her mother was a Broadway and television actor, teacher, and playwright, best known for the iconic 1970s Calgon commercial, "Ancient Chinese Secret". Mari studied at The School of American Ballet at the Juilliard School and performed in The Nutcracker with Mikhail Baryshnikov at Lincoln Center. She was a champion equestrian who attended The High School of Music and Art and later went on to study medicine at The University of Pittsburgh. In the early 90s, she wrote, directed and edited the experimental short films: The Love Thang Trilogy, Target, and X- Girl, which screened at film festivals worldwide.
Mari went on to become an Emmy award-winning editor and worked at Lorne Michaels' Broadway Video and at Sony Music Studios until their doors closed in 2007. She continued to focus on music, live performances, and documentaries for many artists including: Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Tony Bennett, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Lauryn Hill, John Legend, Paul Simon, Wynton Marsalis, Parliament Funkadelic, Ziggy Marley, Willie Nelson, Jay-Z, Rihanna,The Weeknd, The Judds, and Alicia Keys.
In 2015 she edited the documentary, Live From New York!, which was the opening night film at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival. During the period of 2015-2019, Mari edited the Nina Simone, Stevie Nicks, Chicago, Lou Reed, Joan Jett, NWA, Tupac, Janet Jackson and The Cure's induction films for HBO's The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. She was the editor of Jimmy Carter Rock and Roll President, which was the opening night film for the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival and Tom Petty Somewhere You Feel Free, that won the audience award at the 2021 SXSW Film Festival, and the PGA Award for Outstanding Televised or Streamed Motion Picture. In 2025, she edited the SNL 50 Concert that was held at Radio City Music Hall.
Mari produced, directed, and edited Mambo Legends: The Music Never Ends about The Mambo Legends Orchestra, formerly members of The Tito Puente Orchestra, that won a NY Emmy for Best Documentary Cultural in October 2025. She was the executive producer, co-writer, and editor of the 4-part docuseries, James Brown: Say It Loud, produced by Peter Afterman, Questlove and Mick Jagger and directed by Deborah Riley Draper. She produced the 2025 film, Left Behind, Executive Produced by Juju Chang of ABC News and directed by Anna Toomey. Mari was producer and editor of The Makings of Curtis Mayfield directed by H.E.R. and was executive producer and supervising editor for High Horse: The Black Cowboy, from UTAS and Monkeypaw Productions. She is currently directing and editing a documentary about the first female emcee, MC SHA-ROCK and is in development for April Walker: Threads of Revolution, about the pioneering fashion designer, entrepreneur, and educator, April Walker, founder of Walker Wear.
Mari is an active member of American Cinema Editors (ACE).
