Melinda Burgess

About Melinda Burgess

Melinda is a part-time writer and full-time mother who joined CivicActions in 2015 to help get all the right words into all the right places. She loves using storytelling and communication skills to highlight the value of civic tech in the lives of citizens, bringing out the heart and soul behind the initiatives and tools that make the world a better place.

Melinda brings bright enthusiasm and a passion for humanity to every assignment. Whether helping a technologist transfer a concept into laymen’s terms or crafting a resume that brings out the “shine” in a potential new hire, she is happiest when someone exclaims, “That is exactly what I was trying to say!”

In conjunction with her work at CivicActions, Melinda has served on the working group of Agile Government Leadership (AGL), a community of civic professionals promoting the use of agile methods in government. She oversees the administration, project management, and marketing of AGL and has helped it grow to over 800 members.

Prior to joining CivicActions, Melinda wrote for a variety of clients in the civic tech space, including DotGov (providing mobile apps to governments), PageFreezer (providing website and social media archiving to agencies), and Urban Interactive Studio (providing outreach and engagement tools for public processes).

Melinda is currently living in an Airstream motorhome with her partner and three young kids, adventuring around the U.S.A. and seeking out as many trees and oceans as possible. She is also unapologetically addicted to avocados, Instagram, clever science-y blogs, and craft beer.