
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
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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.
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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.
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Service: Public Relations Society of America Student Advisor.
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 8/2013 - 12/2023
Doctoral Candidate
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Political communication scholar with research interests including media effects, women political candidates, cognition, bias, and gender studies.
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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)
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Led strategic planning and administration of executive leadership meetings in support of creatively increasing employee engagement.
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Directed firm’s “employer of choice” campaign, communicating impactful and compelling multi-media stories of Schwab’s people, culture, and experiences.
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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.
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Developed, managed, and executed effective marketing and messaging in multi- media content for numerous internal and external channels.
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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.
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Led Schwab’s award-winning participation in multiple ‘Best Workplace” rankings.
Senior Manager| Field Communications / (3/2015 to 3/2017)
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Managed and provided teams with supportive content creation expertise for daily news emails and bi-weekly electronic newsletter via Constant Contact.
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Directly interfaced with all internal teams via creating and distributing senior leadership corporate messages.
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Determined and executed effective strategies for crisis communications.
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Developed intra-web pages, managing and evaluating effectiveness of all content for targeted audiences.
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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
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Directly supervised team, shared employees, and contractors in weekly development and implementation of an hour-long, nationally televised program.
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Architected multi-million-dollar online training platform for nationwide audience.
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Exhibited strong branding knowledge, supported C-level communications, membership retention, and increased new revenue annually by as much as 40%.
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Produced large-scale live television events across U.S., managing staff of 100+.
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Financial management and adherence to multi-million-dollar budgets.
Associate Director – Brand Communications/ 5/2007 – 6/2008
Manager – Media Relations/ 9/2006 – 5/2007
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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.
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Concepted and developed association’s annual report, fact sheets, news releases, media statements, speeches, and industry relevant talking points.
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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
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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