Melissa Espinal Email & Phone Number

United States

Contract consulting to help ROI plan and manage podcast and YouTube influencer campaigns, as well as to build process infrastructure for their growing YouTube business.

Responsible for brand strategy, leading client kickoff and executing strategy development, including campaign approach, budget flighting and scope proposals. Managed influencer discovery, overseeing detailed list pulls and leading the development of paid plans, as well as partnership management, negotiation, creative development and contracting, overseeing legal redlines. Responsible for the management and completion of client reporting, overseeing the development of weekly highlights, monthly reports and quarterly recaps, as well as leading ongoing data analysis and learnings & recommendations. Led weekly client status calls and spearheaded client communications. Managed internal client teams per each assigned account, ensuring team deliverables, scope and brand expectations were met. Oversaw monthly billing and invoicing, ensuring total accuracy and completion prior to remittance. Oversaw training and onboarding of new managers and fellow senior managers.Primarily focused on Instagram and TikTok influencer campaigns, as well as paid social (allowlisting, boosting, etc.) across platforms. Developed a detailed Podcast campaign strategy with a corresponding paid plan for FitRight Fresh Start.

Part time contract consulting to help ROI with their YouTube business and buying processes, as well as help plan and manage YouTube, podcast and influencer campaigns.

Grew and managed a team of up to 16 media buyers, planners and coordinators, dedicated to YouTube and Influencer business. The team more than doubled in size between July 2021 and Dec 2021.Responsible for spearheading and maintaining strategic vendor relationships, while also monitoring the landscape for trends and brand safety issues. Established new internal and external processes to adapt for rapid scale. Contributed thought leadership to agency, clients and industry partners. Helped spearhead cross-department training for new hires. Attended client meetings to lean in on media strategy and optimization.Led buying on 5-10 clients at any given time, while delegating tasks to planners and coordinators as required. Would regularly negotiate, plan-build, strategize and execute campaigns for YouTube and influencer media.Mentored and helped develop employees into leadership roles, while monitoring performance and progress on a regular basis.

Built this new department at Veritone One from the ground up. Established cross-departmental processes and swim lanes to merge Performance Bridge and Veritone One. Ideated high level SOPs that were implemented with my guidance. Was instrumental in creating a new SalesForce-based buying system from scratch, alongside business operations programmers.Grew and managed a team of 12 media managers and coordinators while managing media for at least 15 clients. Media Management’s primary function is to activate sponsored episode placements across podcast, YouTube and social for all VO clients, as well as correspond directly with hosts/influencers and network reps in accordance with each sponsorship. This included trafficking copy, host product, pixel campaign setup, insertion order creation and maintenance, scheduling media, processing cancellations, scheduling and conducting host calls, etc.

Binghamton, Ny

Veritone One is the media and advertising arm of Veritone, Inc. My office specializes in Podcast, YouTube and Instagram influencer marketing, primarily direct-response advertising. My primary role is to plan, negotiate, and purchase podcast and/or YouTube media on behalf of several national and international brand clients, while helping maintain KPI goals. As a Senior Media Buyer, I also help train newcomers on various buying processes as well as assist in ongoing training and internal platform troubleshooting.

Binghamton, Ny

We specialize in podcast and YouTube brand integrations and other forms of sponsored, influencer-driven content for our national and international brand clients. In November 2016, I started as an affiliate coordinator for Influencer Bridge, a pay-for-purchase program designed for new and growing influencers. I recruited influencers to participate, as well as guided them through signup and their initial campaigns with our partner brands.As of February 2017, I moved to the media buying team and my primary role is to activate sponsored episode spots once they are bought and approved by my designated clients, as well as correspond directly with hosts/influencers and network representatives in accordance to each sponsorship.As of September 2017, I also create podcast/YouTube media plans and enact other planning duties (negotiating, analyzing data, etc) for a handful of clients.Senior Media Planner as of October 2018, when Performance Bridge was acquired by Veritone One.

I worked at 3 different Gap and Gap Factory stores as a sales associate. The customer service aspect of this role shaped much of my professional personability, while my keyholder roles helped propel me to a path of leadership. I also learned what difference good corporate morale can make for your work experience. I was lucky to have worked for a company that values their associates and managers.

Binghamton, Ny

I was an ad salesperson for a magazine created for residents of Vestal, NY, for which I would be the sole publisher once ad revenue generated enough to cover publishing expenses. I tackled the local independent contractor sales world, which admittedly wasn't for me. But I did gain a newfound and important perspective on my media career goals.

Syracuse, New York Area

I ran an independent health, wellness, and fitness magazine through the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University for the 2015-16 academic year. Established in 2004, What the Health is published in print once per semester, has an online blog extension, and serves to promote health and wellness through the organization of campus fitness events. Each semester, it employs a team of section editors and assistants, print writers, and staff bloggers; along with web, creative, public relations, social media, and multimedia departments. Sections include Warm Up (front-of-book), Eat Smart (nutrition), Get Well (mental health), Features, Feel Great (fitness), and Cool Down (back-of-book).For this position, I was responsible for recruiting, hiring, and supervising the editorial, creative, web, and PR staff, assigning pitches, overseeing design, delegating promotions, communicating with web team, editing and refining 25 stories, and reviewing spreads. I wrote up semesterly budgets for the Office of Student Activities and was responsible for guiding the magazine's process from editorial, to final design, to print publication and distribution—printed and published with the help of Syracuse University's Publications Office.Overall, I served as the supervisor, visionary, and editor for two semesterly issues of What the Health.

Syracuse University

Section Editor

Syracuse University

For 12 weeks, I wrote weekly blog articles to be published on What the Health magazine's online blog extension. Each week I pitched 3 unique health-related article ideas to the web editor. I would then do research and write the chosen article within 3 days, to then be copy edited and published by the web editors. These articles here are the finished products.

Syracuse University

Syracuse University

Section Editor

Syracuse University

For 12 weeks, I wrote weekly web articles to be published on Jerk Magazine's online extension, jerkmagazine.net (the Sexplained column). Each week I pitched 3 unique sex and dating article ideas to the web editor. I would then do research and write the chosen article within 3 days, to then be copy edited and published by the web editors. Accompanying artwork is original to each article and were created separately by the digital illustrator/team.

Wrote a long-feature piece for the spring 2014 print edition.

Bachelor'S Degree, Magazine And Psychology

Activities and Societies: What the Health Magazine; Student Health & Wellness Board Magazine is an S.I. Newhouse School of Public.

Associate’S Degree, Liberal Arts