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Melissa R. Brandon, PhD

Unique, engaging, and accomplished communications professional who brings together significant and diverse experience in television news journalism, the non-profit sector, corporate public relations, and academia.

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Exceptional communications strategist, multi-media story-telling expert, and team leader. Focuses on transcending barriers, solving challenges, exceeding goals, and building trust with both partners and audiences through well-architected, integrated, and effective multi-media communications.

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Accomplished scholar focusing on political communication including media effects, cognition, and gender studies. Experience with quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research design and implementation.

 

Highly-reviewed academic lecturer with experience across core public relations courses. Experienced and motivating student advisor and active student mentor.

Academic Experience 

North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 7/2021 – 6/2023
Lecturer | Communications

  • Highly-reviewed instructor of undergraduate level public relations courses. Focusing on modernizing and customizing course content in a fast-changing profession to facilitate industry-specific learning and student engagement.

  • Courses taught include introduction to public relations, public relations writing, media relations, public relations case studies, and capstone level campaigns where students produce full-scale public relations plans for real-world clients.

  • Service: Public Relations Society of America Student Advisor.

Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 8/2013 - 12/2023
Doctoral Candidate

  • Political communication scholar with research interests including media effects, women political candidates, cognition, bias, and gender studies.

  • Research background includes quantitative, qualitative and mixed method study design.

Professional Experience 

Charles Schwab, Lone Tree, CO & Raleigh, NC 3/2015 -8/2021
Director | Corporate Communications / (3/2017 to 8/2021)

  • Led strategic planning and administration of executive leadership meetings in support of creatively increasing employee engagement.

  • Directed firm’s “employer of choice” campaign, communicating impactful and compelling multi-media stories of Schwab’s people, culture, and experiences.

  • Maintained and projected brand identity throughout all communications, in alignment with corporate mission while influencing both employees’ advocacy and the conversion of community members into clients and applicants.

  • Developed, managed, and executed effective marketing and messaging in multi- media content for numerous internal and external channels.

  • Provided location-based communication counsel. as well as tactical and strategic support, inclusive of crisis communications development and messaging in concert with strategic corporate objectives.

  • Led Schwab’s award-winning participation in multiple ‘Best Workplace” rankings.

Senior Manager| Field Communications / (3/2015 to 3/2017)

  • Managed and provided teams with supportive content creation expertise for daily news emails and bi-weekly electronic newsletter via Constant Contact.

  • Directly interfaced with all internal teams via creating and distributing senior leadership corporate messages.

  • Determined and executed effective strategies for crisis communications.

  • Developed intra-web pages, managing and evaluating effectiveness of all content for targeted audiences.

  • Led efforts for multi-media platforms’ development to improve service for internal audience receipt of corporate communications.

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), Denver, CO & Washington, DC 9/2006 – 8/2013

Senior Director – Organizational Communications/5/2010 – 8/2013

Director – Communications/ 6/2008 – 5/2010

  • Directly supervised team, shared employees, and contractors in weekly development and implementation of an hour-long, nationally televised program.

  • Architected multi-million-dollar online training platform for nationwide audience.

  • Exhibited strong branding knowledge, supported C-level communications, membership retention, and increased new revenue annually by as much as 40%.

  • Produced large-scale live television events across U.S., managing staff of 100+.

  • Financial management and adherence to multi-million-dollar budgets.

Associate Director – Brand Communications/ 5/2007 – 6/2008

Manager – Media Relations/ 9/2006 – 5/2007

  • Managed weekly production and directed marketing and public relations for “Cattlemen to Cattlemen” weekly television show. Produced print and audio releases, and managed web content for trade and consumer media.

  • Concepted and developed association’s annual report, fact sheets, news releases, media statements, speeches, and industry relevant talking points.

  • Led on-site management of large-scale media support facilities.

KCNC (CBS4) & KUSA (9News), Denver, CO

KKTV (11News), Colorado Springs, CO 2/2002 – 9/2006

  • Leveraged foundational education in media production and journalism to produce award-winning new programming. Held ownership of story selection, script and tease writing, show composition, live shot coordination, accordion/squeeze shows, graphic development, web content development, and crew management.

Education

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Ph.D. in Political Communication, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO

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Master of Professional Studies in Organizational Leadership, Certificate of Advanced Study – Public Relations and Marketing, University of Denver, Denver, CO

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Bachelor of Arts – Dual Degrees, Journalism and Technical Communication /Political Science, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO

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