Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Marisa McGovern, a California native, fellow Tar Heel, and proud dog mom to Rigatoni the Fluffy Corgi. Marisa is currently earning her master’s in Nutrition, Healthspan, and Longevity at USC’s Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, building on her background in Nutrition, Health, and Society from UNC.

What began as Marisa running out of storage on her camera roll turned into @rigipastapup — a digital diary that evolved into a creative outlet full of memes, voiceovers, and everyday dog moments. Her mix of humor, spontaneity, and positive energy has built a loyal following that celebrates the fun side of pet ownership.

In this episode, Richmond and Marisa talk about how Rigatoni’s account grew from casual posts to a genuine community, how to keep believing in your content even when you worry what others might think, and the importance of creating for joy instead of validation. They also revisit college life during the COVID years, touch on mental health, and talk about keeping a balanced mindset while building something online.

Rigatoni’s story really took off when Marisa brought her to the Winter Corgi Nationals with her brother. Known for her speed, Rigatoni sprinted straight for her brother’s stinky sock and somehow ended up taking third place overall. Since then, she’s become an active member of the SoCal Corgi Nation, showing up to community events like the Corgi Nation Beach Vacation and making friends wherever she goes.

A fun, grounded conversation about dogs, creativity, and staying true to what you love. Check out the full conversation in Episode 30 of The Wag Pod 🎙️