She is a third-culture kid, born to third-culture parents. This meant growing up on the move, the same as her parents did growing up, throughout Europe and the U.S., living locally in each place. Nyssa grew up in a multilingual home where German, Spanish, French, and Dutch were all part of the communal chatter. She is bilingual in English and French.

Nyssa's semi-nomadic upbringing forced her to constantly question her identity and place within cultures. This sparked an intense curiosity about and empathy for those around her and a strong desire to share their stories.

In keeping with her values, Nyssa helped create and run the Canadian Society of Cinematographers Field of View Mentorship Program to give back to her community. She's a current Cinematography Fellow at the prestigious American Film Institute Conservatory.