Maridel grew up in sunny Orange County, CA--and yes, it’s just like the TV show. As a student at Northwestern University, she investigated miscarriages of justice for the Medill Innocence Project in Harvey, IL, and learned how to shoot a rifle and defend herself with a ballpoint pen. In her past lives, Maridel has been a librarian, a barista, and a candy striper. She likes to stays up all night reading food blogs.