
I remember always thinking ‘Melissa’s here, I can relax – whatever the challenge is, it’s going to be taken care of.’
Donna Owens Cox
VP Global Communications / MeadWestvaco Corporation
With more than two decades of experience providing strategic PR/marketing counsel and smart, business-impacting strategies for corporations and non-profits – from Frito-Lay to Georgia Regents University to MD Anderson Cancer Center – Melissa’s passion is working with B2B, B2C and non-profit organizations to drive positive, business-impacting change.
She has deep expertise in strategic planning and C-suite counsel, new business pitch development and is an accomplished executive communications coach and media trainer.
Prior to opening her own consultancy, Melissa was a senior leader at some of country’s top PR and integrated agencies. Most recently, she was SVP/Brand Director at Ketchum driving new business and national strategy for retail giant Frito-Lay, as well as PR programming and issues/crisis management for various hospitality and energy-related accounts.
Before that, she was a Senior PR Director at The Richards Group working across the B2B, B2C and cause spectrum – from top retail brands (The Home Depot, Honeywell Automotive – Prestone, Autolite, FRAM, Pilot Pens) to cutting edge B2B brands (Revere Security – internet security) to causes (MD Anderson Cancer, Children’s Medical Center of Dallas).
Additional senior-level agency positions included extensive experience with digital PR initiatives, cause and pro-social marketing, as well as crisis communications and issues management for clients including Nickelodeon and Spike TV, Circle K convenience stores, Fruit of the Loom, MeadWestvaco, and Piggly Wiggly grocery stores.