BIO

Melissa Smiley bought a loft in the Midtown area of Detroit in 2010 after finishing her PhD in Epidemiology at the University of Michigan.  She chose Detroit because she wanted to stay in Michigan and live in an urban setting.  Her undergraduate degree is from Bryn Mawr College in Philadelphia.  She has previously lived, worked and studied in Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Dublin, Chicago, and Ann Arbor.

At Work

Melissa’s position as a Health Analyst at Data Driven Detroit (D3) allows her to combine her interests and experiences in urban planning and public health.  D3 is a data storage and analysis organization that provides accessible and high-quality data to inform decision makers throughout the Detroit region. She is currently working on a number of projects to expand the health-related offerings of D3, while also participating in strategic planning and development activities that impact the entire organization.  She works with a variety of new and existing clients, some of which were found through the Detroit Revitalization Fellows Program.

At Play

In her spare time, Melissa enjoys eating home-cooked food, drinking classic cocktails, and supporting the Tigers and Red Wings.  She thinks that Detroit is a great city for bike riding and generally commutes from Midtown to Downtown via bicycle.

PROFILE

“Couldn’t Be Happier,” Says Detroit Newcomer Working to Boost Urban Health. Melissa Smiley profile by Jay Walljasper.

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