Melissa is the head of communications and public reations for one of America’s most-loved restaurant brands. As executive director of communications at Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar, Melissa has helped catapult the brand back into the hearts and minds of Americans looking to be “Eatin’ Good in the Neighborhood.”
In her role, Melissa is the brand storyteller responsible for managing the development and implementation of Applebee’s communications strategy across all aspects of the business. She leads integrated campaigns that connect with guests, franchisees, and team members, showcasing Applebee’s in culturally relevant and authentic ways. She is responsible for business transformational initiatives, executive thought leadership, innovative brand storytelling, corporate social responsibility, crisis communications, social community management strategy, and brand conferences and events.
Part of the Applebee’s Leadership Team reporting to the brand’s president, Melissa is a collaborative leader with trusted influence among colleagues at all levels of the organization. She partners with multiple cross-functional teams and franchisees to guide and shape the brand’s communications strategy and celebrate the culture.
Melissa is dedicated to giving back to the community. She’s created a unified voice and mission for the Applebee’s brand under the Doin’ Good in the Neighborhood framework. She serves on the advisory boards of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer, Women in Restaurant Leadership, and the Bill Palmer Legacy Scholarship Fund, a program that provides scholarships to Applebee’s team members and their children in honor of the brand’s late founder. She is also a member of the Dine Brands Foundation.
Prior to joining Applebee’s, Melissa led strategy and execution for iconic brands in the hospitality and retail industries while rising through the ranks of public relations agencies, including Zeno Group and Cohn & Wolfe. A selection of her clients included Walmart, Starbuck’s Evolution Fresh, Hilton Honors, Doubletree Hotels, Hampton Hotels, IHOP, Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Pennsylvania State Tourism.
Melissa is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Madison and resides in Las Vegas with her husband and two young sons.
