Melanie Harris

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT MELANIE HARRIS

I was born in India to an Army dad and a schoolteacher mom. Since my early days of moving from one city to the other, people have been my passion. At the age of 15, when my mom succumbed to cancer, the wellbeing of people became my focus. Rather than becoming a medical professional, I set my sights on architecture for healing. Upon graduating Texas A&M University in 2006 with a master’s degree, I worked with extraordinary clients like MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. In 2014 I joined the healthcare team for HOK in Houston and in 2017, transitioned to Practice Leader for HOK\'s healthcare market in Central Florida. In 2020 I joined the BSA\'s practice as the Principal for Tampa. Opening an office amidst a pandemic is never easy, but am taking this on as one of the biggest challenges of my career yet. In August of 2020, I transitioned to the role of National Healing Practice Director for BSA. The biggest challenge has become bigger.I am many things: an architect, an adventurer, a lover of cats, a creative thinker, a visionary and a foodie. One of my favorite memories is a 2019 trip to Japan where I climbed Mount Fuji solo, and immersed myself in the fascinating culture of the country. My fiance and I recently summited the top 4 of 5 mountains in Ireland in one day - definitely not as hard as many other summits but windy, treacherous and long. I have set my eyes on Mount Kilimanjaro in the next few years and Everest Advanced Base camp next.I believe in the power of community and the impact design and planning can have on strengthening communities. I am continually looking to improve process, transform culture and find effective ways to manage challenges. Because at the end of the day, it is not the obstacles that define you, but how you choose to respond to them.