MsMelissa De La Cruz

Melissa has spent the last decade in public sector innovation. As a graduate student, she helped build and maintain Urban Data Platforms for multilateral organisations like UN Habitat-3 and IADB. Her research with Bloomberg Philanthropies and The Aspen Institute's AV Initiative helped weave the network of cities experimenting with self-driving cars. During COVID lockdown, she returned to her hometown of Cebu City (PH) to conceptualised and implement education innovation projects such as EdRadio, Community Wifi, among others.

Melissa began her career in New York City as a Research Associate at The Global Urban Futures Project. She then spent half a decade as Research Director for Star City Group — an urban planning and technology consultancy. Melissa completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science at the University of San Carlos and received her MA in International Affairs from The New School in New York City. Melissa is now a PhD candidate investigating the assembly of EdTech platforms.