Melissa Withers
Director, Communications and Market Development
As Director, Communications and Market Development for the EDC, Melissa Withers is responsible for developing and executing strategic marketing efforts in collaboration with the EDC's sector leaders. Melissa also serves as communications director for the Business Innovation Factory, where she oversees BIF’s communication and outreach efforts, manages public and media relations activities, and participates in the coordination of BIF’s Collaborative Innovation Projects and innovation learning experiences. In addition, Melissa plays an active role in coordinating the state’s innovation programming, serving as program manager for the Rhode Island Science and Technology Advisory Council.
Prior to returning to Rhode Island in 2004, Melissa was assistant director of communications and public affairs for Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she was a member of the team responsible for the announcement of the human genome sequence. While at Whitehead, Melissa also managed a suite of nationally recognized outreach programs for scientists, high school students and teachers, and policy leaders. Foremost among these programs was a postdoctoral training program designed to help young scientists effectively communicate with non-scientists.
Earlier, Melissa specialized in building communications and outreach strategies for academic and commercial scientists working to expand their research programs or commercialize new research. In this capacity she worked with clients like Harvard University, Washington University School of Medicine, and several smaller biotechnology companies on SBIR grant applications, new publications, and a variety of outreach activities.
She has received several awards in the field of communications, including the 2004 National Gold Medal in News Writing from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, the 2002 Helen Loeb Award (Society for Technical Communication) and the 2001 Excellence Award from the Society of Documentation Professionals. An avid student of science communications, Melissa has presented her work at the 7th and 8th International Conferences on Public Communication of Science and Technology and coordinated programming for the Association of Independent Research Institutions.
Phone: 401-278-9100 ext. 134
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