NEW YORK, NY  Melanie Taylor has been appointed national leader of the Buildings, USA Lighting Practice at WSP, a global engineering and professional services organization.

In her new position, Taylor will manage the lighting design practice spanning 16 offices across the nation. She is based in New York City, New York.

A WSP Vice President with more than 20 years of lighting design experience, Taylor is a leader in the field and has participated in the design of many award-winning projects in the U.S. and abroad. She has been with WSP since 2008, previously leading lighting design efforts for the company's Seattle, Washington, and New York offices. Her background includes lighting systems for airports, five-star hotels, corporate headquarters, mixed-use complexes, and healthcare environments.

"Melanie has been a key member of our national lighting team for many years now," said David Cooper, President of the U.S. Buildings practice and Chief Commercial Officer for the region. "Her zeal for great design inspires award-winning architectural lighting schemes and her leadership ensures our lighting practice consistently enhances the aesthetic and environmental quality of our client's projects."

Taylor has been a Lighting Design Instructor at the Seattle Art Institute. She has presented workshops on LED light sources, and lighting and sustainability at Lightfair, and has been an organizing committee member and judge of the Department of Energy's Next Generation Luminaire Competition. In addition, she has won many prestigious awards, including the IIDA Regional Award of Merit (2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, and 2004) and the IIDA International Award of Merit (2007).

Taylor received a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts from the Pratt Institute. She is a professional member of the International Association of Lighting Designers.