Welcome Melissa!

This week the Foundation welcomes its newest member to the research team, Melissa Lacide, who joins us as a Senior Engagement Officer.

Previously working for a housing association, Melissa’s community engagement role bolstered resident involvement and local partnerships, feeding into strategic community investment, social impact, and sustainability work. Some of the initiatives undertaken included tackling food insecurity and social exclusion; programmes focusing on inequality in education, employment and training. Furthermore she was essential to overseeing stakeholder participation in green space and play area redevelopments, homebuilding, and village plans.

Melissa is passionate about community participation, understanding the aspirations, connections and needs between people and places. She has wide-ranging experience working collaboratively with stakeholders on the ground, managing partnership projects, and mapping social value.

Her career includes a position held at placemaking charity as an advisor in design research and community led design practice, including asset mapping, meaningful engagement, and up-skilling stakeholders. She also worked for a sustainable architectural practice and design collective as an engagement consultant and participatory researcher, spanning the redevelopment of derelict buildings and spaces, a visitor centre eco-build, and a cultural building retrofit.