About Me

I’m Melissa and I like building things.

• I learned about economic development in a Bedouin village in Jordan and quickly became a sceptic of conventional charitable approaches.

• I then came home to work in affordable housing in Virginia where I learned our zip codes determine everything.

• Within four years, I started to believe social enterprise offered another path to increasing opportunity, so I moved to Kenya to start my first venture.

• After growing that to be one of the largest low-cost healthcare providers in the country, I stepped away and started writing online.

I’m currently exploring how innovators are making cities healthier, more equitable places, and writing about what I’m learning here on The Vital Neighborhood. Look forward to interacting with more of you here.

The Vital Neighborhood

My newsletter combines my experience as a founder and a funder. I’m constantly exploring how to find and back innovative startups making the world a better place.

I write about things like how the beauty of our surroundings impacts our mental and physical health, the use of innovative inhalers that help local politicians plan traffic, and how we build cohesive communities and friendships online.

Join me and please leave comments along the way.