Thanks for sharing your story with us Melissa. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My story started as soon as I could hold a crayon. I would spend hours drawing, coloring, and creating. My mother would have to drag me away from my projects to eat and to sleep—very little has changed since then...
I spent my childhood and adolescence in Western North Dakota, where I was the local artist for my town of approximately 1,300 people. As an employee at Mike’s Super Valu, I created the weekly specials posters that hung in the windows. I was a very active member of the Art Club and Student Council, which allowed me to spearhead mural projects, theater set design, event graphics, and more. As an adult, I’ve helped several businesses in my hometown with logos, branding, and marketing.
My love of the arts led me to seek a Bachelor’s degree from The Art Institute of Colorado. After graduating at the top of my class, I took the lead in developing the creative department of Colorado Wholesale Group, where I designed brochures, packaging, and marketing materials that increased the company’s visibility in the very competitive automotive market. My love of philanthropy blossomed here during a project that we partnered on with Susan G. Koman. From there, I gained valuable creative and supervisory skills incorporate design and print production at Garb Inc., an apparel company located in Denver, Colorado. I provided brand-consistent designs for the company’s golf, tennis and collegiate divisions, public affairs, social media, and employee communications efforts.