Merritt Clapp-Smith has a wealth of experience leading projects and teams of people to advance innovation in city building, economic development, placemaking and sustainability initiatives.
Merritt has worked as Executive Secretary for the Minnesota Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board, as Project Manager for the Governor’s Task Force on Housing, and as a Principal Planner for TKDA and for the City of Saint Paul. Her projects have included master planning, development review, zoning code revisions, small area plans, and work with multiple work groups and task forces. Merritt has led hundreds of public meetings and presented to dozens of groups.
Her current passions are community wealth building, equitable economic development, sustainability in planning, energy efficient design, and advancing innovation through complex systems. These guide her work as owner and principal of Moxie Consulting.
Merritt has a long history of volunteer service and has held leadership positions in a variety of business and civic organizations in the Twin Cities region. She served on the board for Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, Oakland Cemetery, Sustain St. Paul, the Summit Hill Association, and helped found the Metro Independent Business Alliance.
She received her Bachelor of Science with honors in city planning from Cornell University and a master’s degree in urban planning with a focus in economic development from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
