Hi, I’m Melissa.

I’m the principal of Melissajoy Strategies. I’m on a quest to reveal clarity in this increasingly complex world. My passion is to improve communication and collaboration in everything from meetings to websites.

Backed by a network of trusted colleagues, I provide organizations with strategic marketing and communications, facilitation, and consulting services. Backbone support services are available to collaboratives and coalitions.

I offer one-on-one consulting sessions to individuals.

I believe in emergent strategies that adapt over time in response to changing circumstances and unforeseen opportunities and challenges. They provide direction and alignment and evolve through experimentation and learning. 

I’m down-to-earth, prefer quiet environments, and recharge by taking time for solitude and reflection.

Background

I have more than 35 years of experience as a leader in and consultant to organizations serving clients throughout the U.S., including:

  • Hands-on consulting and facilitation to for-purpose organizations for more than 12 years.
  • Facilitation and marketing communications for collaboratives advancing work in early childhood development, trauma and resiliency, and substance use disorders
  • Public relations for early-stage technology businesses, angel investors, and social entrepreneurs
  • Curriculum development, teacher training, and publishing of national model health education programs for K-12
  • Program development and marketing communications in health care, behavioral health, public health, higher education, and financial services
  • Marketing, operations, and facilitation of higher education and human and leadership development

Experience

  • Principal of Melissajoy Strategies since 2010
  • Co-founder and Principal of Duet Dynamics, a consultancy serving collaboratives and coalitions from 2017 to 2023
  • Account Lead and Director with MissionWise (a division of the Comprehensive Health Education Foundation, now Healthy Generations), a consultancy specializing in social entrepreneurship
  • Vice President and Account Executive with a national public relations firm for clients in social enterprise, social services, financial management, visual media, and technology sectors
  • Creative Services Product Manager for a leading global asset management company 
  • Chief Operating Officer, Director of Product Development, Graphic Designer, and Trainer for a curriculum development and publishing organization producing national model health education programs for K-12

Education

  • Bachelor of Science in Visual Communications, Western Washington University
  • Graduate certificates in Integral Women’s Leadership and Advanced Integral Women’s Leadership through Kore Leadership/Saybrook University
  • Holacracy: Completed Holacracy® Coach and Practitioner trainings
  • STAGES International: Assessed and trained in the STAGES model of human development
  • Facilitation: Certificate in Facilitation for Advanced Human Development for Late-stage Practitioners by Venita Ramirez, M.A.

Other

 

Social Justice — I support the principles of equity, anti-racism, and social justice. I am dedicated to being part of the solution, actively working to dismantle systems of oppression, and advocating for a society where all individuals are treated with fairness, dignity, and respect. Social Justice Statement.

Melissajoy Strategies is based and operates on the unceded ancestral land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish, and is a monthly supporter of Real Rent Duwamish.