Melissa Lynch

Associate

Melissa Lynch has extensive experience in fundraising, events, management and marketing. Her development work includes capital campaigns, vote initiatives, annual appeals, grant research and strategic planning.

As a consultant for the Gloucester Lyceum & Sawyer Free Library in Massachusetts, Melissa managed a $15 million renovation and expansion project. In this role, she spearheaded a political campaign for the city’s funding of the project, formed and advised volunteer committees, led donor cultivation, and implemented the annual appeal for businesses and individuals.  

Melissa has also worked with the Massachusetts School Library Association (MSLA). She has managed the MSLA annual conference for the last three years, where she oversees the budget, generates sponsorship, negotiates vendor contracts, develops the marketing plan, and creates promotional materials.

Melissa previously served as assistant director of professional development programs at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She led staffing, marketing and financial operations for more than 12 annual professional development programs. In this position, she collaborated with educational chairs and faculty on content and was the department leader on human resource and Harvard Union policies. Her event experience also includes running a series of revenue- producing conferences and exhibitions while at Imark Communications, where she wrote business plans, developed an advisory board and recruited speakers. Melissa worked in college athletics as an assistant director for the National Association of College Athletic Directors (NACDA). In that role, she was the primary administrator for the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA), assistant editor for NACDA’s publication, Athletics Administration, and director of the intern program. As a graduate of the Ohio University Sports Administration/Facility Management program, Melissa was selected as the interim coordinator of the program from 1994-1995. She advised graduate students with curriculum and internship/job placement and was a liaison to alumni.

Ms. Lynch graduated from the University of Kentucky with a bachelor’s degree in communications and earned a master’s degree of sports administration from Ohio University. She has been a guest lecturer for several colleges and organizations on event management and careers in sports and currently serves on the Alumni Advisory Board for her graduate program.