Melissa Burns

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT MELISSA BURNS

I’m a Creative Strategist and civic systems designer who builds shared spaces—where story, structure, and belonging meet.I turn vision into infrastructure and care into action—so communities can thrive, not just survive.For nearly a decade, I led customer experience strategy for a Fortune 20 company. I co-designed a $1B+ small business relief initiative, reformed national workflows, and delivered operational systems across QuickBooks and Payroll. As global engagement lead, I managed six-figure cultural strategies for teams across the U.S. and India—turning abstract “belonging” goals into programs that worked.Now I build from the kitchen table and the garage—spaces where hands-on ideas meet systems that serve.As the founder of Community Driven, I’m creating a nonprofit where gearheads, caregivers, and community-minded creatives find momentum, dignity, and shared purpose. We host events, offer civic education, and organize community repair—mixing car culture with connection, advocacy, and mutual aid.I’m also the author of The Seasonal Table cookbook series, a four-part exploration of food, ritual, and everyday story. I created and sold Love and Racecars, a dating app built on shared identity and joy.My work today sits at the intersection of publishing, policy, and public good: • Designing community systems and nonprofit playbooks that scale local impact • Writing cookbooks, policy proposals, and creative field guides for changeI build systems for people who fix things—on the street, in the system, or in their soul.If that sounds like you, let’s build something that lasts