Melissa (pronouns: she/her) is an arts administrator, educator, and creative who has been involved in Philadelphia arts and culture for over a decade. Committed to economic, racial, and gender justice, she is dedicated to leveraging her privilege to help artists not only survive, but thrive. 

Prior to returning to Leeway, Melissa worked in office, nonprofit, and educational environments – experiences which led her to create both long-standing and emerging connections with a variety of communities in the Delaware Valley region and beyond. Most recently, she served as the Engagement Director at CultureWorks Greater Philadelphia, a management commons for over 240 artists and 100+ fiscally-sponsored organizations. In addition, she has been a panelist for the Philadelphia Cultural Fund and a member of the 2018 Gender Justice Giving Project for Bread & Roses Community Fund. 

A proud Philadelphia native and fat, queer writer and comic-creator, Melissa holds a Bachelor of Arts in English / Gender Studies and a Masters of Arts in English / Communications. She lives in Mt. Airy with her wife, Michelle, and their super-adorable cat.