Melissa Barry, AICP
Chief Program Officer
As Chief Program Officer, Melissa is responsible for the Downtown Austin Alliance Strategic Plan and its four programmatic areas: Public Space Experience, Active Urbanism, Built Environment and Mobility. She oversees and coordinates the four programs to ensure maximum impact.
Since joining the Downtown Austin Alliance in 2009, Melissa has led a variety of visionary and transformative efforts for downtown Austin, including the development of a public-private partnership for Republic Square; the community-driven Downtown Austin Vision; the I-35 Cap and Stitch Urban Land Institute Panel; and the Downtown Parking Strategy.
As a certified planner with over 25 years of experience in public, private, and nonprofit sectors, Melissa worked with communities of all sizes on a wide range of community needs before joining the Downtown Austin Alliance.
Melissa is passionate about historic and cultural preservation and has been on the Board of Directors of Preservation Austin since 2019. Her favorite downtown places include the historic squares, the Central Library, and Houndstooth Coffee.
Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.
—-Jane Jacobs