Services
My combination of services helps your work now.
Strategic Communications
Crafting messages, language, strategy and products to prompt action from targeted audiences
It’s critical to know what to say and how to say it to maintain a strong brand. Melanie leads message development processes to pinpoint the story you want to tell. Those messages then become the backbone of all communications strategies, including marketing language for websites, talking points, and fundraising. Melanie also helps develop products that rely on arranging and writing information in way that is useable for essential audiences, such as online resource hubs and presentations for educational professionals, parents, and policy makers.
Success: “Melanie helped Green Schools Alliance transform how we talk about our work and who we serve. As a result, we’ve seen continued membership increases, clarity of team roles, and program expansion.”
– Sharon Jaye, Executive Director
Network Development
Connecting allies to accelerate progress in education, sustainability, and the public good
Activated networks are agents of change. Melanie facilitates networks to elevate each member’s unique contribution yet also harness the collective power to achieve progress for all. She is a natural connector of people, organizations, and ideas, and uses a savvy and diplomatic approach to foster clear communications, organized approaches, and pleasant interactions.
Success: “Melanie naturally builds authentic networks and connections, and eagerly brings people together to share knowledge”
– regarding creating the Healthy Parks, Healthy People eGuide for Community Engagement for the National Park Service, where she helped manage the creation of an eGuide by leveraging expertise from dozens of experts.
Work Management Systems
Designing efficient work systems and supporting team communications
Melanie is your process person. Through observing team practices and engaging in conversations, she offers tactics for managing work so it’s always clear who is doing what, by when. Melanie streamlines work to create systems that increase clarity and reduce frustration.
Success, with NoVA Outside: “We are all engaged, passionate environmental educators often too busy to really focus on the management of our not-for-profit. Melanie has done a great job keeping us focused and on track with priority setting, fundraising and event planning.”
Research and Analysis
Conducting interviews, data scans and more to analyze trends of success and challenge
Melanie collects the information – the data – that is essential for communications work and program growth. Through crafting conversation guides, interviewing people from all kinds of places, and theming responses, Melanie pinpoints areas of critical interest that guide future action.
Success: “Melanie is a thoughtful, wise and thorough consultant. Melanie dove right in and worked very hard to understand our organization and the context in which we operate.”
– With AppleTree Institute for Education Innovation
Education Expertise
Applying expertise in PreK-12 education programs and policy, specializing in environmental literacy and nature-based connections
Melanie embraces a holistic view of education for considering the kinds of programs and policies that will best support healthy kids and communities. Her expertise includes: PreK-12 programs and policy, educator professional development, environmental education, nature-based connections for children, greening schoolyards for learning & play, community engagement, community health, family involvement, and grassroots advocacy. Melanie understands the intersections of these areas and works to create stronger ties for meaningful learning experiences.
Coaching and Facilitation
Leading workshops, facilitating strategic meetings, and communications coaching
Melanie coaches teams and individuals on how to think in a network-connected way, to “make your own luck,” to foster visibility, and to develop relationships. She also coaches the basic use of select social media platforms. For meetings, Melanie provides agenda development, on-site meeting facilitation, and analyzed meeting documentation with clear next steps.