Melissa is an environmental engineer specializing in nature based solutions and adaptation planning for sea level rise. With a background in environmental fluid mechanics and coastal engineering, her main focus is on leveraging research advances to develop elegant, nature-based, and community-empowering adaptation approaches. Her ongoing work focuses on applying nature-based approaches to address vulnerabilities in the California Bay Area.
What is your favorite ESA moment/memory so far?
I had a blast at the ESA holiday party last year! I’ve only been with ESA about a year and a half now, so that was my first chance to hang out with everyone in such a big group setting outside of work.
What does it mean to you to be part of an employee-owned company?
For me, being part of an employee-owned company allows me to feel more empowered through ownership of my work.
What keeps you coming to work here at ESA every day?
A lot of things in the news can get me down, but the work we do here inspires me to keep showing up.
What is your hidden or special talent(s)?
I have run track competitively since I was about 13 years old, I competed in college, and I still run track races now! I most recently raced the 1500m at the US Championships in Eugene, OR.
What’s your favorite thing to do when you are out of the office?
I love to spend time with my friends and family. I’m always down to try a new restaurant or to lounge around at a park or at the beach.
If you had one free hour each day, how would you use it?
I would probably read for fun!
What are three skills that you bring to the ESA team? In other words, what should colleagues know to reach out to you about?
- Coastal technical analysis
- Matlab models and analysis
- Coastal vulnerability for climate change planning
In a nutshell, what kind of work does your team do?
The Northern California EHD coasts & estuaries team works on a variety of projects involving nature-based adaptation solutions, technical analysis and modeling, restoration, and vulnerability assessments in coastal areas.
