Melanie Padgett Powers / Silver Spring, Md., and Washington, DC
I’m a writer, editor and social media strategist who has won awards in all three of these areas. I aim to help associations, nonprofits and companies communicate effectively with their audience through my unique perspective as an editor who is passionate about social media.
Or, I can just write for you.
I have a bachelor of arts degree in journalism with a news-editorial focus from Franklin College of Franklin, Ind. I was a newspaper reporter and editor at daily and weekly newspapers—covering every beat imaginable—for about seven years before moving to Washington, DC. Here, I became an assistant editor for The Nation’s Health newspaper at the American Public Health Association, where I fell in love with health news. I spent the next 14 years at associations—including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists—primarily covering health as a writer, editor and eventually social media manager and strategist.
I quickly became known not only for my editing and writing skills, but my ability to work collaboratively with members and co-workers, to juggle several projects at once without losing my cool, and to develop systems and organize the bejeezus out of any publication or social media process. I take my role as a customer service provider seriously, a work ethic that led to my being named the employee of the year while at the American Public Health Association.
I now bring that same mentality to my clients. Contact me and let’s talk about what we can accomplish together.
7 FUN FACTS ABOUT ME
- I created my first newspaper in the sixth grade.
- I traveled to 19 countries before I ever visited Florida.
- I remember being nervous as I was sending my first tweet for a client.
- I earned my Teaching English as a Foreign Language certificate in Prague, Czech Republic.
- As an Indiana native, I try to grow corn every year in my garden (without too much success).
- I’m so obsessed with chocolate chip cookies and Thin Mints that an intern nicknamed me “Cookie Monster.”
- My first writing award was the “Young Authors Award” in sixth grade for a fictional tale about my beloved cat, “The Day Frisky Died.”