“Defying the proscribed groove that a statewide project could have sent us down, Civic Space Collaborative took the time to truly understand what makes Northampton tick prior to giving excellent advice and counsel. They ran tight, fun, and engaging meetings that kept Northampton's stakeholders actively engaged, on-task, and aligned toward a shared vision of Northampton.”
-Alan Wolf, Mayor’s Chief of Staff, City of Northampton
Our Team
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Michelle Moon
PRINCIPAL + FOUNDER
Michelle Moon is an urban planner and designer who focuses on increasing and improving public spaces in Massachusetts through community- and stakeholder-driven processes. Her work includes organizing design charrettes and visioning sessions, leading steering committees, hosting resident engagement events, conducting interviews, administering surveys, and researching placemaking best practices. Over the past 10 years Michelle has collaborated with 65 local government departments and committees, Boston-area and national non-profits, community groups, parks and greenway organizations, design firms, and state agencies. Michelle holds a MA in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University and a BA in Environmental Studies from Mount Holyoke College.
Fun Facts: Michelle grew up in Minnesota. She also lived in Russia, Paraguay, Brazil, and England. When she isn’t working you can find her biking and hiking.
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Claudia LaFontaine
ASSOCIATE PLANNER + DESIGNER
Claudia LaFontaine is a designer and artist with interests in community development, LGBTQIA+ rights, mental health advocacy and environmental justice. Claudia’s planning work has helped to engage and educate members of communities about climate resilience. Recently, she completed two climate change public art installations, one of which won the “CMCC Climate Change Communication Award ‘Rebecca Ballestra.’' They also facilitated two workshops for a youth employment program and designed two pop-up spaces for Boston Public Libraries. She is skilled at bringing project visions to completion. Claudia holds a BS in Architecture with a minor in Art History from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Fun Facts: Claudia loves creating art in a variety of mediums, collecting rocks and shells, and plants! She has succulents that are over 5 years old.
Collaborators
Clients
City of Boston’s Office of New Urban Mechanics
City of Somerville, Massachusetts
Downtown Worcester Business Improvement District
Fairmount Greenway Task Force
Four Corners Main Streets
Friends of the Garden at Magnolia / Dudley Neighbors Inc
Friends of the Mary Ellen Welch Greenway
Harvard Chan School of Public Health
Massachusetts Department of Conservation + Recreation
Massachusetts Department of Housing + Community Development
Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy
The Trust for Public Land
Town of Belchertown, Massachusetts
Town of Dover, Massachusetts
Town of Melrose, Massachusetts
Town of Monson, Massachusetts
Town of Watertown, Massachusetts
Viva Fall River / MassDevelopment Transformative Development Initiative [TDI]