Marisa is Founder and Director of Connect the Dots, bringing over a decade of knowledge on stakeholder and public engagement practices. As a Fulbright scholar, she earned an MA in Design from Technological University Dublin and later received a Knight Foundation award for civic engagement. She currently teaches a course on Participatory Cities at the University of Pennsylvania, where she also earned her BA in Urban Studies & English. As Founder, she established CtD as a WBE/DBE firm specializing in strategic stakeholder and public engagement, serving clients based in sectors such as urban planning, transportation, community development, and more. She leads the vision and mission of a diverse core team to consult with intergovernmental and transportation agencies, local and state governments, and nonprofits to employ creative, innovative public engagement strategies. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring Philadelphia’s amazing food scene.

Sylvia leads the team with 18+ years of experience in cross-sector collaboration around social impact and community development, having a BA in Economics from Universidad de Monterrey, an MS in Strategic Thinking from Tec de Monterrey, and an MS in Management and Economics from Université Toulouse. Her commitment to social impact extends to her role as a Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania, where she teaches about the power of community participation in urban spaces. Previously, she worked as Advisor for the Office of Community Services at Garza García, Mexico and as Lead of Social Studies at FEMSA (Coca-Cola, Heineken). As Managing Principal, she specializes in Strategic Planning and People Management, while also serving as Principal in Charge of key projects; her forte is around welcoming and culturally accessible spaces and interactions. When she’s not working, Sylvia may explore different art forms as inspiration and mindful practice.

Jen brings 25 years of experience in urban planning and public engagement, with a PhD and Masters in Human and Organizational Systems from Fielding Graduate University, a Master in Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Bryn Mawr College. Jen was President & CEO of Hurley Franks & Associates, a planning and urban design firm, for over 20 years. She has been active in the new urban movement for over twenty years, working on numerous charrettes for regional planning, downtown revitalization, traditional neighborhood development, and form-based zoning. Jen teaches in the Growth and Structure of Cities Department at Bryn Mawr College, is a past fellow of the Knight Program in Community Building at the University of Miami School of Architecture and is a National Charrette Institute Certified Charrette Planner™. She serves on the Board of the Congress for the New Urbanism and the Form Based Codes Institute Steering Committee. When she is not working, Jen can usually be found watercoloring or dreaming about her next travel adventure.

Meg brings 10+ years of experience in participatory design, interdisciplinary design and engineering, and community organizing. They have a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Princeton University and a dual Master’s Degree in Sustainable Design and Design for Sustainable Development from Chalmers University and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Previously, they have worked on a broad range of projects around the world from sustainable agriculture to sanitation, water reuse, and urban greening and air pollution. As Senior Project Manager at Connect the Dots, Meg specializes in leading community and stakeholder engagement for large, complex infrastructure projects, bringing her expertise in strategic planning and creative problem solving. When they are not at work, Meg can usually be found dancing, crocheting, or organizing for social and racial justice. 

Stephanie has 10+ years of experience in working with the public, with a B.A. in Fine Arts. Previously, she worked for the City of Philadelphia in the arts and culture office to plan, manage, and provide communications for exhibitions and public art installations, neighborhood arts programs, and grants opportunities. She also served in development and administrative roles at a neighborhood arts center in Greater Philadelphia. As Project Manager, she specializes in leading projects from strategy to implementation with creative problem solving and an eye for design. When she is not at work, Stephanie is probably window shopping, making sock puppets, or putting together a lovely bouquet of flowers.

Julia’s 10 years of experience in community engagement, social science research, and natural resource management, is supported by a Master’s in Fisheries and Wildlife from Michigan State University and a Bachelor’s in Biological Foundations of Behavior from Franklin & Marshall College. Her master’s research was focused on understanding perceptions of coastal risk and motivations for coastal habitat stewardship in Lake Michigan. This took her to Seattle, where she worked for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as a Data Management Specialist and conducted social science research on the West Coast Groundfish Fishery. Following a passion for supporting communities from the ground-up, she moved to Boston and specialized in developing long-term partnerships and facilitating co-designed programming with underserved communities near Zoo New England. When Julia is not at work, she can usually be found adventuring in nature, playing with her cats, or trying new restaurants in Philly with her husband.

Geert has 12 years of international experience in public sector management, supported by a Master’s degree in Law from Utrecht University in the Netherlands. Previously, he worked for the City Government of Utrecht (NL) as a program manager in the fields of urban planning, housing, and behavioral healthcare. As a project manager, he specializes in designing tailored, collaborative, and effective engagement strategies. He has an aptitude for acting as a ‘translator’ between people, organizations, and perspectives by fostering connections and engaging stakeholders. Outside of work, Geert can usually be found drawing inspiration in one of Philly’s great museums and eateries.

Vanessa brings experience in mixed-methods research and participatory design to the team, backed by a Master of Science in Design Research from Drexel University. Her background includes sales and qualitative research on projects centered around underserved communities, contributing to data-informed decision-making and meaningful project outcomes. As an Associate, she supports projects through organization, design, logistics, and community relations, with a strong emphasis on data collection to tell the story of engagement through both quantitative and qualitative insights. When she’s not typing up reports or packing for engagement events, Vanessa is either practicing with her award-winning Dragon Boat team or snuggling with her adorable pets—dogs Paisley and Cuatro, and her cat, Spooky.

Isabella brings experience in transit research and public engagement, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology from Johns Hopkins University. Their background includes research and data analysis on projects involving community mapping, public transit usage, and transit-oriented development, as well as organizing fundraising and community events. As an Associate, he specializes in data analysis and accessible outreach, with a knack for finding the stories within data. When she’s not at work, Isabella may be writing songs or visiting one of Philly’s local game stores.

SJ brings 4 years of experience in operations, having a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Connecticut. Previously, he worked in sales and operations roles. As the Finance and Operations Assistant, he specializes in the administrative and financial tasks required to keep projects running smoothly at CtD, and has an aptitude for analyzing and visualizing data. When he is not drafting invoices, SJ continues to sharpen his skills by analyzing data on market issues.