Melinda Harris is vice president of Marketing and Communications at Down Payment Resource, where she has spent nearly two decades helping shape the company into the industry’s leading source for down payment and homebuyer assistance program data. Through strategic communications, education initiatives and data-driven marketing, Harris has played a central role in expanding awareness and adoption of affordability solutions across the housing industry.
Over the past year, Harris continued to evolve Down Payment Resource’s marketing infrastructure and messaging strategy, helping reposition down payment assistance from a niche offering into a broader affordability solution for today’s housing market. Her leadership included campaigns focused on correcting misconceptions around down payment assistance through persona-based outreach, myth-busting initiatives and educational efforts built around the company’s proprietary Homeownership Program Index and Declined Loan Analysis.
Harris also helped scale the company’s marketing operations through stronger alignment between sales and marketing systems, improving lead visibility and engagement across lenders, MLS organizations and technology partners. Her work contributed to Down Payment Resource earning a spot on the 2025 Inc. 5000 list following 130% revenue growth between 2021 and 2024, while the company also earned HousingWire Tech100 recognition for the third consecutive year.
Known for combining clarity, adaptability and educational leadership, Harris has built a trusted brand voice centered on helping industry professionals better understand and connect homebuyers with available affordability resources.
Name:
Melinda Harris
Title:
Vice President, Marketing and Communications
Company Name:
Down Payment Resource
