“This is just the way we’ve always done things” is not a phrase in Melissa’s vernacular.

Energized by the “good business” revolution starting to happen in 2011, Melissa founded Yulu, a communications agency for socially innovative organizations. Once Yulu built its reputation as the de facto leader of social impact PR, Melissa started to rally support for an evolution of public relations toward greater transparency and tangible impact. Enter Impact Relations — the discipline of using powerful stories to drive behavior that has attracted changemakers from across North America.

Notable milestones in Melissa’s career include being named one of Real Leaders’ 100 Women In Impact in 2021, ranked by Marketing Magazine as a 30 Under 30 marketing pro, serving as Chair of Communications for the Urban Land Institute of BC, and helping to develop global campaigns for change makers like Fuck Cancer, which earned her agency an International Stevie Award for Best Global Social Good PR Campaign of 2012. With World Housing, she launched a PR strategy for the world’s first one-for-one home gifting model, which resulted in more than 120 media hits and homes for more than 2,000 Cambodians.

As Executive Director, Melissa oversees the strategic vision for the Global Impact Relations Network, and ensures that the best minds are bringing their expertise to the Board table.