Melisa is an Architectural Designer focusing on social and sustainable approaches to her architectural and urban design projects sensitive to context, equity and diversity. Before joining SvN, she collaborated with several nationally renowned firms in multi-scale developments, sharing her expertise in design visualization, permit documentation, project management and budget administration. Melissa completed her undergraduate degree in architecture from the Tecnológico de Monterrey, with the opportunity to study and publicly exhibit her work while at the Lorenzo de Medici Institute in Florence, Italy. She also attended the University of Arizona in Tucson, where she investigated context, heritage and conservation. Her interest in community engagement includes writing urban-focused articles for the Correo de Hermosillo in Sonora, and she recently received a state grant from CONARTE, Nuevo León to pursue international graduate studies, followed by grants from CONACYT and FONCA, which enabled her to pursue graduate work in urban design at the University of Toronto.