Melissa Malburg

Over the past 20 years, Melissa has been a champion for fostering a culture of curiosity and belonging for our clients and within Progressive Companies. As an interior designer by trade, she believes in the power of space but, as a strategist, she knows the conversation can’t start there. In a world of increasing complexity and ambiguity, Melissa is continually evaluating options and finding solutions to help clients envision a better future.  

With a passion for organizational development, Melissa serves as the diversity, equity, and inclusion liaison, helping empower a diverse group of talented individuals realize their full potential. She is also a certified facilitator for FranklinCovey's Speed of Trust and Unconscious Bias programs and helped launch a robust training initiative firm-wide. She continues to champion and reinforce the content and is a trusted resource and mentor for all levels of the organization.  

Melissa is a committed brand ambassador and brings to life the firm’s promise, purpose, and values in everything she does. She works throughout the organization to cultivate design thinking and capacity for focused, purposeful iteration which drives project work toward meaningful and measurable outcomes.  

In 2005, Melissa began a long-term working relationship with Steelcase to design corporate workplaces, customer-facing spaces, and showrooms, as well as provide consulting on product development and research. Other notable clients include Amway, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids Chamber, Michigan Realtors, and Saint Mary Magdalene.  

“Strategy is grounded in people and supported by space, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution” says Melissa. “I enjoy engaging with clients and stakeholders to uncover unique insights, gain alignment, and implement innovative solutions.”

In effort to continually learn and enhance her skill set, Melissa achieved an Innovation Strategy Certificate from Cornell University and became a certified Change Management Practitioner (CMP) with Prosci.  

She is a member of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and is a certified interior design professional from the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ).

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