Marisa Denker is the Founder and CEO of Connect the Dots, an award-winning, woman-owned firm that helps transportation agencies, cities, and civic organizations make better, more community-informed decisions through strategic engagement. Nationally recognized with an IAP2 USA Core Values Award for Innovation and Creativity, Connect the Dots partners with clients across the country to design inclusive, people-centered engagement strategies that build public trust, strengthen decision-making, and improve outcomes across transportation, mobility, placemaking, and community development. Under Marisa's leadership, the firm has supported transformative planning and infrastructure initiatives for organizations including SEPTA, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), NJ TRANSIT, PennDOT, Houston METRO, AARP, the City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia International Airport, and numerous municipalities, MPOs, and nonprofit organizations nationwide. Connect the Dots is known for helping organizations move beyond traditional public meetings through creative, strategic approaches that lead to more meaningful participation and more informed decisions. Marisa founded Connect the Dots following a Fulbright Scholarship to Ireland, where she researched new approaches to participatory planning and collaborative city-making. She holds an M.A. in Design Practice from Technological University Dublin and a B.A. in Urban Studies from the University of Pennsylvania, where she also serves as an Adjunct Lecturer.