Currently the Campaign Manager for North Dakota Gubernatorial Democratic Candidate Shelley Lenz, Melissa has managed over a dozen campaigns and field efforts in California, Washington, North Dakota, and Canada. One of the youngest of our NWPC trainers, Melissa is sought after by candidates as she naturally attracts the best volunteers, gets vendors energetic and supportive, and picks up her phone and makes fundraising part of her job. She’s run races for state legislative candidates, statewide, labor, environmental and issue campaigns.

She was named one of the “40 Under 40” leaders in the Puget Sound Business Journal, been a graduate of both the AFL-CIO’s Organizer School, the University of Ottawa’s “Management on a Daily Basis”, Wellstone Institute’s campaign program, and a grant writer for Seattle’s Center for Women & Democracy, in addition to having her bachelor’s and master’s degrees.