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Melissa C. Potter Overview

About Melissa

Learn more about Melissa and her story.

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An experienced speaker, thought leader and motivator.

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A passionate community leader and philanthropist.

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About

Melissa C. Potter

SENIOR SOCIAL IMPACT EXECUTIVE

I can remember being a bossy 8 year old, directing my neighbor on how she should best hit Mariah’s notes, advising my cousin on naming his slam dunk for branding purposes, and reading ‘This Business of Music’ with a flashlight under my covers. My passions and life’s work have never wavered and I’ve made it my mission and mantra to move culture… for the culture!

No one understands fast-moving pop culture and its potential ability to do good, better than Melissa C. Potter.

Concerned, connected, and committed, Potter’s priority has always been to utilize entertainment (television, film, and music) to shift hearts and minds.

Mel’s Bio

Potter is a forerunner in creating meaningful social change through her expertise in spearheading social impact strategies and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. She has a proven track record with national non-profit organizations, as well as some of the world’s largest and most influential brands. Throughout her prestigious career, Potter has established herself as a respected, nationally known thought leader developing innovative ideas and creative solutions.

Her current role as Vice President, Strategy and Impact at Paramount enables Potter to supervise each brand’s commitment to the long-term social impact of cultural shifts in society. With expertise including the issues of Race, Identity, Culture, Equity, and Social Justice, she is known for masterfully managing moments of crisis with her unflappable style. Additionally, she is responsible for spearheading the revolutionary MTV Entertainment Group Culture Orientation program in collaboration with the country’s leading racial and social justice organizations. This groundbreaking initiative unites shared values, increases understanding, and amplifies learning to empower the entire creative community to tell stories that reflect the diversity of Paramount viewers.

Her current role as Vice President, Strategy and Impact at Paramount enables Potter to supervise each brand’s commitment to the long-term social impact of cultural shifts in society. With expertise including the issues of Race, Identity, Culture, Equity, and Social Justice, she is known for masterfully managing moments of crisis with her unflappable style. Additionally, she is responsible for spearheading the revolutionary MTV Entertainment Group Culture Orientation program in collaboration with the country’s leading racial and social justice organizations. This groundbreaking initiative unites shared values, increases understanding, and amplifies learning to empower the entire creative community to tell stories that reflect the diversity of Paramount viewers.

In her position as Head of Social Impact and Communications for Odyssey Impact and Transform Films, she used film, technology, and new media as a catalyst for social change. For the film “The Rape of Recy Taylor” which won the prize for Human Rights at the Venice Film Festival, she received a 2018 NAACP Image Award nomination as Impact Producer for the film. With a deep bench of subject-matter expertise which also includes gender-based violence, criminal and gun law reform, and religious freedom, Potter led conversations around subjects concerning our nation’s diverse and often underrepresented populations by building awareness and changing attitudes towards issues of social justice.

As the Head of Social Responsibility and Partnerships at The National Family Engagement Alliance, Potter identified and measured solution-oriented practices for public and private partnerships including the Scholastic Corporation. She launched the national Read2BGreat campaign with an emphasis on community engagement utilizing social influencers, garnering sponsorships, and fostering a culture of charitable giving. Potter was the NAACP Legal Defense Fund’s primary media contact and spokesperson, developing communications strategies for federal, state and Supreme Court initiatives. She went on to work at the American Civil Liberties Union, where she led strategies on voting rights, criminal justice, disability rights, juvenile justice, and racial justice. As a team leader at the ACLU, she created and managed several multi-tiered advertising and marketing campaigns, and was the direct liaison to celebrity spokespersons.

In addition to creating innovative and inclusive spaces in digital and new media, Potter has used technology to foster sustainable social impact in underserved communities nationwide. She coordinated over 200 screenings of “Milwaukee 53206,” a documentary that told the story of the ZIP code in America with the highest rate of incarcerated African American males. Those screenings served as a catalyst for national awareness as well as the formation of prison ministries, community coalitions, and reentry and support programs.

Fully committed to serving mission-driven organizations, Potter always brings her talent, drive, extensive skills, and analytical focus to her work. She has been featured and quoted in The New York Times, New York Daily News, The Washington Post and Essence Magazine, as well as others, and has been a speaker at Spotify, Social Innovation Summit, SXSW, ImpactROI and Classy.org amongst many more.

A native of New York, Potter received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Northeastern University and Masters in Corporation Communication and Public Relations from New York University. She serves as the first woman and the first African American Chair of the Board for the National Job Corps Association and is Chair of the Board of Directors of Fostering Change for Children. She was awarded “Change Agent of the Year” in 2018 from the Digital Diversity Network, is a Webby Anthem Awards juror and a Diversity Committee Member for Transform Films. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

She can be found on Instagram @melissacpotter and LinkedIn @melissapotterpr.

In the Press

joyfullyblk.com

In this episode, we discuss how to unravel hustle culture for greater impact with Melissa C. Potter.

weareforgood.com

Meet Melissa. She was a PR exec for the likes of 50 Cent and Grandmaster Flash until she discovered her passion for social justice.

medium.com

…women that are emerging to tell stories that are important to liberate the marginalized in society. Melissa C. Potter is doing this with style and innovation.

sheenmagazine.com

We sat down with Melissa for an exclusive interview to discuss her role, bringing awareness to social injustices across the nation, and much more!

xonecole.com

Pulling Us Into The Room: All The Steps I Took To Become A Board Member

hers-magazine.com

Potter’s Three C’s to Surviving COVID-19: Compassion, Consideration and Creativity