Sr. Director, Non-Profit Engagement

Brand strategist. Nonprofit executive. Intuitive energy healer. Melanie began her career in advertising agencies, doing account management for McDonald’s, Pepsi-Cola, and Royal Caribbean, including their sponsorship of the Super Bowl XXXII halftime show.

It was her long-term commitment to a grassroots organization that supported people with HIV/AIDS that led Melanie to shift her focus to nonprofits.





As Chief Strategy Officer for United Way of the Greater Triangle, Melanie conceptualized and led the marketing, programming, and partnerships for Innovate United, an equity-based investment fund. Initiatives included: a public-private partnership Social Innovation Challenge in a historically underserved community with training and funding for BIPOC nonprofits and small businesses; 100K Kids Hungry No More, program design challenges focused on creative solutions, informed by lived experiences; and GenerationNext, college innovation challenges to connect students in HBCUs with entrepreneurial skills, contacts, and seed funding. 



Melanie recently served as Director of Philanthropy Marketing & Communications for Seattle Children’s Hospital and as Executive Director of Soul Seeds, a nonprofit that teaches specific meditation techniques that provide coping mechanisms for anxiety, stress, and trauma for people in marginalized communities. A highly skilled healer, she also has a private practice, Zaia Energy Works.