Davenport Discussion w/ Melissa Spagnuolo Blog

On February 4, 2025, the Davenport Institute for Public and Civic Leadership at Pepperdine University’s School of Public Policy hosted its first Davenport Discussion of the spring semester, featuring Melissa Spagnuolo, Community Partnerships Manager for the City of Santa Monica. With over a decade of experience in the public sector and a seat on the Davenport Institute’s Advisory Council, Spagnuolo shared insights from her career journey, which began with a BA in Political Science from UC Irvine and an MBA with an emphasis in entrepreneurship from CSU San Bernardino. Her message to students revolved around the theme of "Doing Something Different"—a call to action to drive meaningful change.

Spagnuolo reflected on her time with the City of Santa Monica, particularly the challenges brought on by the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Faced with business closures and strained resources, the city sought creative solutions to maintain financial stability. This led to the formation of a philanthropic foundation and a public-private partnership initiative. Spagnuolo played a key role in these efforts, helping launch the city’s “Digital Wayfinding + Out of Home Advertising Kiosks” project, a move that demonstrated Santa Monica’s evolving approach to tourism and economic recovery. Rather than simply cutting costs, she looked for ways to generate revenue while preserving the character of the community.

Throughout her discussion, Spagnuolo shared five key takeaways tied to her theme of innovation including: the power of genuine relationships, seeing rejection as redirection, and training oneself to recognize opportunities others may overlook. Her insights served as an inspiring reminder of the value of perseverance, compassion, and self-reflection in public service.