Team

Melissa Barnes

Where were you born?

New Jersey

Where is your favorite travel destination?

The Philippines

What’s something you’d still love to learn?

I’d love to be fluent in ASL and Spanish, and I think learning how to do epoxy resin pour art projects would be cool.

Describe Mancini’s company culture in one word?

Diverse

What do you hope to see in the future in the world of architecture and design?

More mentorship and showcasing the balance of other passions/businesses that architects and designers have outside of architecture.

When did you know you wanted to be an architect/designer?

My dad used to be a GC at one point, and when he saw me drawing houses all the time, he mentioned that I should be an architect or interior designer, which planted a seed in me from a very young age.

What is something you collect?

I like to collect train/plane tickets of places my husband and I have been to and we display them in a little travel box.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

“Do what most people won’t now so you can do what most people can’t later”

What is your favorite hobby?

Photography, I also love to draw and paint. Tending to my plants and baking sourdough. I’m starting to crochet. I’m basically 80 years old.

Who inspires you the most in your field?

Virginia Larrea, she was one of my instructors from college. I learned so much from her and I loved how she was involved with both architecture and interior design while still making time for her paintings.

Do you have any hidden talents?

I can play ukulele, I love putting floral arrangements together, and I’m fluent in Tagalog.

Any other interesting fact about you?

I’m a cancer survivor. I had cancer in high school, and I only found out when I tried to skip gym.