For nearly thirty years, Mel has been either volunteer, staff or consultant with many hundreds of community based organizations and/or projects. Early in his career, Mel was a volunteer with several locally based non-profits where he dealt with community building, environmental action and recreation issues. As staff, he was the community organizer for Belair-Edison Neighborhoods Inc. where he specialized in the Healthy Neighborhoods initiative. Following that Mel was Special Assistant to the President for the Greater Baltimore Committee. After his work as staff, he returned to college to attain Master's Degree in Urban Affairs and Public Policy from the School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy from the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware.
During that time, he also formed Freeman Consulting Group, LLP and began community development and revitalization work in other cities such as Hartford CT, Brevard NC and Milwaukee WI. He has also been involved in the management and development of several neighborhood planning processes. While consulting he has been engaged in the creation of several new Healthy Neighborhood organizations in Baltimore City. His consulting work included several projects in Baltimore such as the Plan Implementer for a neighborhood plan that was funded by The Annie E. Casey Foundation and the France-Merrick Foundation and the management of a neighborhood revitalization grant funded by the Empower Baltimore Management Corporation. As a partner in Freeman Consulting Group LLP, Mel has worked with diverse leaders and professionals from a wide variety of disciplines and backgrounds. During this time he has been working tirelessly with organizations to provide them with the tools needed to self manage change while not by waiting on others.
Mel, who is always seeking new opportunities to learn, accepted the position as Executive Director of Citizens Planning and Housing Association, Inc. a regional organization whose mission envisions a well-planned Baltimore region with equity among jurisdictions, where citizens respect diversity and have access to responsive government and quality housing in vibrant neighborhoods. That position has provided Mel with the unique insider’s view of a nonprofit’s mission, vision and values. This leadership role and the Standards for Excellence training create a new and unique opportunity for Mel and Freeman Consulting Group.