Melissa Damsen Watkins

About

Motivated, resourceful and dynamic PR professional with comprehensive experience and a reputation as an industry leader in public relations. Demonstrates aptitude for creating compelling strategies that seamlessly integrate business needs and deliver measurable results. Fearless and creative with excellent interpersonal skills and a proven track record of developing collaborative relationships with peers, teams, and clients. Industry experience includes strategic planning & execution, press & media relations, integrated communication services, digital communication, content management, social media, SEO, copywriting, community relations, and crisis management.

Experience

• Public Relations Counsel · Various2002-02-01 – Current

  Strategic public relations, marketing leader with over two decades of experience in all aspects of internal and external communications, marketing and public relations for Fortune 500 firms to startups. Develops creative solutions to over-achieve KPI results. Provides PR planning, development and execution, content writing and management, media relations, media training/coaching to C-suite executives/leaders, thought leadership, advocacy campaigns, community relations, crisis management, key message development, brand awareness, digital media, social media and much more.

• Director of Public Relations · AMSTERLAND2016-12-01 – Current

  Ignite and help drive engaged audiences to clients through strategic public relations and earned media as part of a creative first integrated advertising and marketing agency.

• Public Relations Mgr/National Spokeswoman · The Home Depot1999-03-01 – 2002-04-01

  Created and lead national public relations department for interior design division of The Home Depot. Managed all press initiatives for both national and local markets, shelter publications, lifestyle and business/financial media and handled all community affairs and events programs to launch new stores and markets. Responsible for $500,000 annual budget. Management of PR agency, strategic counsel, media relations, real estate support, community affairs, crisis communications, grand opening of stores, etc.

• Communications Manager · Georgia-Pacific Corp.1998-06-01 – 1999-06-01

  Strategically planned, created, managed, and executed integrated marketing campaigns for structural panels and engineered lumbered divisions to drive sales for Fortune 100 building product company.

• Marketing & PR Manager · Equifax1996-11-01 – 1998-06-01

  Worked at Elrick & Lavidge, a division of Equifax. Responsible for all PR and Marketing efforts for the company. Managed public relations, advertising, marketing, events, executive communications and corporate communications for a top 10 full-service research firm.

• Assoc. Account Executive · Biggs Gilmore Communications Advertising Agency1993-11-01 – 1996-08-01

  Part of account team that served Upjohn Animal Health (Pfizer), Agency's largest client, to coordinate all facets of marketing, communications, advertising, direct mail, promotional campaigns to drive sales and influence for products.

Education

• Western Michigan UniversityBachelors, Public Relations
• Western Michigan UniversityBachelor of Arts (BA), Public Relations Degree, Minor in Journalism

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