Melanie D. Email & Phone Number

Advisor to over 200 Strategic Communication Practitioners through the development of best practices criteria, thought leadership opportunities, and training regarding Equity and Environmental Justice policies. Develop and manage project budgets, ensuring all expenditures meet project demands while minimizing costs, including managing staff hours and schedules to optimizing workforce allocation.Responsible for developing strategies for community engagement and managing strategic communications team’s work product for national transportation agencies and water utility clients.Facilitate workshops for agency staff and write agency foundational documents on the topics of meaningful engagement, public involvement, and increasing community participation. Serves as a liaison between client agency and stakeholder advisory committee.

Laurel, Md

Established programmatic framework, set performance objectives and evaluation criteria to ensure the effectiveness of the project communications program while managing internal and external relationships and partnerships with primary community groups, as well as state and local agencies.Developed and spearheaded enterprise-wide strategy for project-related outreach to both internal and external stakeholders.Planned and managed the inaugural Centennial Symposium attended by over 150 industry executives and professionals, including leading a cross-departmental team, and managing external consultants.

Washington, D.C.

Responsible for consumer education and outreach on utility issues, assisted with resolving consumer complaints and providing technical assistance to lay advocates seeking to participate in the regulatory process. Oversaw the development and management of the agency’s residential communications initiative enabling the production of weekly, monthly and annual publications.

Washington, Dc

Created a strategic plan and managed corporate communications, media relations and community outreach. Developed and led staff training sessions on outreach programs, including modules on “Training the Trainer” and Student Interactive Training. Trained, mentored and supervised over 30 college interns and managed rotation for law clerks. Co-planned annual staff retreats and quarterly team building events.

Largo, Md

Developed the organization’s strategic communications plan in collaboration with the community affairs director. Led employee annual United Way giving campaign. Designed multimedia presentations, wrote press releases, pitched stories, and conducted agency tours as a part of agency’s community awareness campaign.