melissa toops

director of process

Anyone who meets Melissa immediately learns that she wears many hats. As a licensed Architect, she works tirelessly across several market sectors, including senior living, multifamily, hospitality, and mixed-use developments to tackle her clients’ complex challenges. She also brings her history as a professor of Architecture to the office, spearheading staff incentives including licensure, education, and community engagement.

However, it is her years at OKW that have sharpened her skills on how to run an efficient project and team. In the role of Director of Process, Melissa brings her meticulous organization and eye for efficiency to make sure our projects and teams are optimized, streamlined, and primed for success. 

Outside the office, she serves as the Vice President of the Avondale Neighborhood Association, where she applies her passion for community planning and development to ensure meaningful growth in her neighborhood. At home, she is a horticulturalist and an apiarist, tending to her urban beehive and garden, making wine and mead from her produce, perfecting her mole recipe, and delighting her coworkers with the occasional surplus.

If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life: Tamales

If you could have one superpower: Teleportation!

Three things you couldn’t live without: A garden, cheese, and my craft closet