Currie has more than 30 years of experience in site selection and planning, landscape architecture and design, project management, and urban design. In addition to managing the planning department in the Daphne office, she will serve as a national planning resource for the firm. Currie is an expert in U.S. housing policy and has conducted research exploring how neighborhoods and communities respond to stressor events, including natural disasters and economic downturns. She has spent the last several years working as a professor, conducting research, managing external grants, and worked with communities to rebuild following major natural disasters.

“I am thrilled to join Dewberry’s team of exceptional planners and serve clients across a variety of markets,” says Currie. Dewberry Associate Vice President Jason Estes, PE, adds, “Melissa’s background in site/civil design and land planning, along with her career in academia, is an asset to our team and our clients. We’re very excited to have her on board.”

Currie earned her Ph.D. in geography and urban regional analysis from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (2015), and her master’s degree in urban design (2008) and bachelor’s degree in sustainable development (2006), both from Cornell University. She is a member of the American Planning Association, American Society of Landscape Architects, and the Urban Affairs Association. Currie has authored numerous peer-reviewed articles for academic journals and professional publications, including the Journal of Planning Education and Research, Applied Geography, and the Journal of Urban Affairs.