Melanie is licensed as a civil engineer, specializing in structural engineering, and has worked on dozens of structural stabilization and historic preservation projects.

As a co-founding principal of the award-winning WBE firm J&M Preservation Studio, Mel has managed restoration projects from the planning phase through design and construction administration. Mel has been commended for her ability to turn around repair details, construction documents, and other project deliverables in an extraordinarily timely manner. She is known to establish trust with clients and communicating effectively with building owners, architects, and contractors.

Over the past twenty years, she has worked on twenty National Historic Landmark properties, more than seventy-five other historically significant buildings, as well as over fifty private residences in the region. Mel’s expertise in rowhouse maintenance led to her appearance on “Right Down the Row: Understanding Your Row Home’s Structural Integrity” podcast to provide tips to homeowners.

Mel is a licensed Professional Engineer in PA, NJ, DE, MD, VA, and D.C. She is a former President of the Delaware Valley Association of Structural Engineers, a founding member and past Chair of Women in Structural Engineering (WiSE), member of the Emeritus Council of the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, and former Secretary of the Swarthmore Borough Historic Preservation Task Force.