People of McMaster is a series celebrating the incredible people who help make McMaster a great place to work, learn, teach and conduct research. This is the 10th instalment of this series. Click here for the previous one.  

When Melanie Phillips pivoted her career from manufacturing and distribution into web development, she wasn’t just learning a new skill, she was stepping into a whole new world.  

As Web Development team lead in Media Production Services, Phillips plays a key role in supporting the university’s digital infrastructure: Her team maintains the MacSites platform, which powers over 300 websites across campus. 

But for Phillips, it’s not just about code: It’s about collaboration, growth and building something that matters.  

Here, she reflects on professional milestones, imposter syndrome, and the pride she feels in the work she and her team do every day.

What brought you to McMaster, and how did your career path unfold? 

I came to McMaster in 2019 after retraining in web development. It was a complete career change. I was drawn to the opportunity to work in a large organization, and when I met the team during my interview, I knew it was the right fit. I started as a developer and eventually moved into the team lead role.  

Along the way, I earned my Project Management Professional (PMP) certification and have been encouraged to grow and explore new skills. 

What does a typical day look like for you?  

Every day starts with a team stand-up where we talk about what we’re working on and any challenges. From there, it’s a mix of meetings, project planning, organizing tasks, and coding. I still spend a good chunk of time in the code — front-end work like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and sometimes server-side tasks too. 

What’s something people might not realize about your work? 

A lot of people assume MacSites is just a basic WordPress setup, but it’s actually a highly customized platform built to meet McMaster’s unique needs.  

Another common misconception is that designers and developers work in separate teams. We collaborate closely: Designers understand how things are built, and developers contribute to design discussions. That overlap helps us create better, more efficient websites. We’re not just building what someone else hands us, we’re problem-solving together from start to finish. 

What’s been a standout moment for you at McMaster? 

Being nominated in 2023 for a President’s Award for Oustanding Service for our work migrating the Faculty of Health Sciences websites into MacSites was a huge moment. Even though we didn’t win, the recognition meant a lot.  

Another milestone was hitting 300 sites running on MacSites. Every time we hit a monumental number, I’m blown away. It’s a reminder of the real impact we’re making. 

What do you enjoy most about your role? 

I love the mix of technical problem-solving and team coordination. I’m not a designer, but I really enjoy organizing information and making sure content is structured in a way that helps people find what they need. I love that I get to keep learning and growing every day. 

What inspires you when things get tough? 

I still experience imposter syndrome sometimes, even after seven years in tech. Two quotes help me through it. One is: “All the water in the world can’t sink a ship unless it gets inside.”  

The other is from Eleanor Roosevelt: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” They remind me to stay grounded and confident. 

If you could swap roles with anyone at McMaster for a day, who would it be? 

Whoever works in the greenhouse! I love nature and plants, and it’s the total opposite of my screen-dominated workday. That would be such a refreshing change.