Melanie is a licensed architect and Senior Associate in the Senior Living and Affordable Housing Studio at Hord Coplan Macht in Baltimore, MD. Her experience spans both market-rate and affordable mixed-use projects as well as community engagement and master planning in Baltimore City and beyond. She is the 424th living black woman licensed in the US to practice architecture and seeks to be an active mentor to promote the goal of doubling the number of licensed black architects by 2030. She is a founding member of Bmore NOMA, having served in various leadership capacities at the board level,  and currently serves as the President. In addition to her work at HCM, Melanie is an adjunct professor in the School of Architecture and Planning at Morgan State University and volunteers for Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake as an architectural designer.  Melanie was a part of the inaugural 2022-2023 American Institute of Architects Next to Lead Fellow.