Marcia earned her undergraduate degree from Millikin University in Illinois, her master's degree in education from Reed College, and her J.D. from Northwestern University Law School. Since then, she has dedicated her life to public service.

Prior to serving in the General Assembly, Marcia served the 14th Judicial District Court as a district court judge for 18 years and as Chief District Court Judge for 5 years. Marcia worked with law enforcement, defense attorneys, and prosecutors to develop an innovative new program for 16 and 17 year-olds who had been charged with a crime. She spearheaded the "Misdemeanor Diversion Program (MDP)" which diverted 16 and 17 year olds from the adult court system to education and community service. Her work helped hundreds of teens to avoid a criminal record for misdemeanor crimes and change the course of their lives. MDP has helped over 300 teens and is now a model that has been copied across North Carolina.

In 1998, Governor Jim Hunt appointed Marcia as the executive director of the Governor’s Commission on Juvenile Crime and Justice to reform North Carolina's juvenile justice system. During her tenure juvenile crime rates were reduced by approximately 40%.

In 2017, Marcia decided it was time to leave the bench and take action to reshape the court. During the 2017 legislative session, Marcia was an honorary co-sponsor of House Bill 280, which raises the age of juvenile jurisdiction from 16 to 18.  She was a key player in a bi-partisan effort to make this happen.

In her time in the House, she has harnessed her energy on reforming our gun safety laws, investing in our public schools, and raising the minimum wage. She has also served as a member of Governor Cooper’s Task Force on Racial Equity, where she researched and crafted suggestions for a more equitable NC, and Governor Cooper’s Juvenile Sentencing Review Board, a group of experts who recommended cases to the Governor for clemency.