Melissa Fisher

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT MELISSA FISHER

My work as a cultural anthropologist and workplace and branding strategist is rooted in a fascination with the stories of work—a curiosity sparked by my grandmother’s experience as one of the first women at University of Pennsylvania Law School. Her struggle to navigate a built environment not designed for her became the catalyst for my career exploring the intersections of culture, power, and space.Today, I bridge academic research and global strategy. Drawing on a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from Columbia University with an M.A. from Wesleyan in postmodern dance and design, I analyze the \"hidden\" connections between people, movement, and the built and digital environment.Academic Leadership & Scholarship: I serve on the faculty at Parsons School of Design, the New School, and hold appointments at NYU’s Institute for Public Knowledge and the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study.• Prior Faculty: NYU, Georgetown, and the Laurits Andersen Professor of Business and Organizationional Anthropology at the University of Copenhagen.• Author: Wall Street Women and Frontiers of Capital (both Duke University Press).• In Progress: A new book on how social scientists, architects and other professionals can collaboratively design equitable workplaces.Strategic Consulting & Public Impact: I translate ethnographic insights into actionable strategy for the 21st-century economy. Since 2005, I have partnered within the Omnicom Group (BBDO NY and Batten & Company), decoding cultural drivers for global brands in Hospitality, Finance, and Pharma. My Recent & Current advisory work on work, culture, leadership and space includes:• Workplace: Partnering with JLL on \"The Omnipresence Challenge\" and Workplace Leader at Workshape Lab.• Strategy: Senior Advisor at CFAR (Wharton-rooted), specializing in workplace culture and design.• Media: Senior Advisor on the Sony Classic Pictures film Equity.Recognition & Speaking: Named a 2025 Top 65 CRE and Work Tech Expert. I have keynoted at the New York Federal Reserve, LSE, WorkTech, the Smithsonian, and many other venues.Mission: Using anthropology, sociology, and design thinking to create work cultures, spaces, and societies that are humane, equitable, and resilient.Contact: f••••••@newschool.eduWebsite: