Mel Harris
Strategic Partnerships Executive And Organizational Leader
Washington,DC
Summary
Accomplished and committed creative visionary and organizational team leader with 15 years of demonstrated success in non-profit and media business development success, a history of building successful fundraising programs, and moving forward with positive leadership, and communications strategies. Adept at building cultures of innovation, responsibility, and collaborative productivity.
Experienced fundraiser, securing over $300M in funding through building strong teams, strategic and tactical relationship building, utilization of capital campaigns to drive engagement and revenue, in order to support mission and scale programs while providing reliable and sustainable capital flows. Senior-level Fundraising and Business Development Executive with deep networks and a passion for storytelling and connecting philanthropists, corporations/foundations, and policymakers with missions that matter.
Recognized success in oversight of developing data-driven DEI and marketing strategies for elevating the non-profit, entertainment, and global arts sectors with a trusted record of experience, execution, and honest evaluation.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Consultant
Self-Employed
11.2023 - Current
- Established trusted partnerships with key industry stakeholders, expanding the clients network of resources and integral relationships.
- Evaluated client needs and expectations, managing as temporary Fractional Chief Development Officer and Chief Communications Officer for client with responsibility of fundraising campaign goals ($349M), to include strategic roadmap building, landscape analysis, implementation, and team building (buildout of 8 horizontal and vertical teams) for clients across entertainment, DEI, climate, and iconic brands.
- Build-out of board governance and DEI nomination protocols, oversight of change management insights for media clientele. Proven experience in implementing innovative collaboration roadmaps, and unlocking untapped growth opportunities.
- Developed innovative communications and marketing strategies for clients, including press releases, media pitches, and executive positioning, resulting in higher external engagement, share-of-voice, brand expansions, resulting in business growth and awareness.
Advisory Board Member
MarsWrigley
08.2022 - 11.2023
- As advocate and ambassador for the organization, facilitated, engaged, identified, and secured over 35 partnerships to advance Mars Diversity initiatives, awarding over $50M in funding annually to diverse grass roots organizations internationally
- Championed diversity initiatives within the Mars brand by advocating for inclusive hiring practices, training programs, and cultural awareness campaigns, including expansion of Mars BRG/ERG models.
- Work to ensure that M&M's global brand and marketing is conveying a message of belonging, inclusion and acceptance across the spectrum of diversity while increasing accountability and cooperation across horizontals and verticals.
Vice President of Strategic Partnerships
GLAAD
02.2022 - 11.2023
- Led Corporate and Business Development teams, which carried 75% of overall organizational revenue, and increased funding by 27.6% YoY from $17M to $21.7M+ through programmatic support, integrated marketing, multi-year partnerships, and previously untapped revenue streams.
- Managed expansion of GLAAD's partnership base from 200 revenue-producing entities to over 384 active partners in less than 1 year
- Created opportunities for $1M+ event sponsorships/activations with world class brands, licensing, production at over 30 domestic and international events per year
- Co-Producer of four televised GLAAD Media Award shows in LA and NYC, leading VOD broadcast negotiations with Hulu (business unit of Walt Disney corporation). Sold out attendance cumulatively first time in organization history — driving recognition of LGBTQ excellence and representation in media. Also Produced/sold out Playbill x Broadway Cares "Remember the Ribbon" benefit performance at Sony Music Hall in NYC with Broadway headliners for world AIDS day.
- Advanced opportunities for advancing programmatic goals for LGBTQ+ community through alignment with policy partners (White House, Press Office, and US Congress)
- Collaborated with C-Suite stakeholders to create strategy for international programming at World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos and Creativity Festival in Cannes Lions
- Negotiated contracts 6-8 figure contracts to oversee DEI consulting negotiations on feature-length, short form media content, and recording industry projects with studios and business units of WarnerBros Discovery, Paramount, ComcastNBCUniversal, MGM/Orion, AppleTV, Amazon, Netflix, Sony Music, Universal Music Group, William Morris Endeavor, CAA, UTA, Crocs, Nike, Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, and more
- Engaged Walt Disney Company senior executives to design and launch inaugural GLAAD Emerging Pipeline Program (LEAP) to identify and broaden diverse creator pipelines in film and stage and facilitate executive sponsorship of emerging next generation talent
- Established performance goals for department, and migrated CRM's while providing thought leadership and actionable pathways for direct reports to achieve career milestones
- Monitored industry trends, and developed dashboard and reporting models to gauge fluctuations in support of media advocacy industry, including implementing research and advanced data analytics tools to drive data-driven decision-making across all strata leading to improved DEI outcomes
Head of Global Council Strategy- International Major Gifts
The Juilliard School
05.2021 - 02.2022
- Director of strategy of international launch of inaugural Juilliard Global Council — covering the Americas, EMEA, LatAm, and Asia in collaboration with the Office of the President, from architecting concept to successful program rollout, in order to qualitatively scale presence, representation, diversity, and financial support in the performing arts across global demographics in elite drama, dance, and music leading to $40M+ in grant and philanthropic revenue and +13 Council members from diversified international backgrounds
- Strategist in Lincoln Center working group to create best practices around performance, advertisement, promotion, and metrics for international audiences.
- Advisor of Juilliard x SPHINX DEI working group to mentor emerging leaders in belonging, community, and inclusion in the arts from the Chicago Symphony to the Seattle Opera and Kennedy Center with a cohort of 20+ young organizational leaders leading and influencing an aggregate total of over 1,500 employees.
Associate Director of Foundation & Corporate Engagement Strategy
University of California, Davis
12.2019 - 05.2021
- Led team and overall strategy for agricultural, biological and healthcare public-private partnerships through facilitation of sponsored research, development of Corporate Partnership Programs, municipal initiatives, and sponsorships with Fortune 100 corporations — leading to six and seven-figure gifts to the University ($100K to $3.5M)
- Collaborated with Mayor Darrell Steinberg (Sacramento, CA) to build out Aggie Square, an innovation accelerator powered by municipal-academic partnerships to increase socioeconomic empowerment by creating over 2,000 jobs — while attracting tech, medical, and research firms to revitalize the Sacramento City Center.
- Elected to 2-year appointment as Chairperson of UC Davis DEI Committee on Internal Culture- including revamping all training, hiring, infrastructure, and employee experience recommendations.
Executive Director
The HopeCenter
08.2005 - 09.2015
- Led non-profit strategic vision to address socioeconomic insecurity in the Ozark region of the United States, including programming to reduce joblessness, food insecurity, homelessness, drug and alcohol addiction, while increasing digital fluency and job preparedness.
- Managed diverse team of 60 professionals, fostering a collaborative work environment for increased productivity. to develop a successful strategic model to serve population of over 500,000 regionally by architecting collaborations to create regional food and clothing banks, computer learning centers, and mental health referral programs.
- Presented regularly at conferences throughout US, Canada, Europe, and South Africa on social safety nets, and sustainable solutions to poverty, bias, and social barriers to success.
- Led budget management of over $5M annually with 15% YoY growth, successful capital campaigns exceeding $10M and secured critical resources for program development and expansion.
- Guided staff through periods of organizational change, maintaining morale and engagement during transitions.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Business And Economics
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, ARMasters of Arts - Psychology
Touro University
New York, NYSkills
Public Speaking
Certification
DEI Workshop Leader — Transformative Justice, UC Davis, Dr. Maisha, Dr. Lawrence “Tory” Winn
Timeline
Consultant
Self-Employed
11.2023 - Current
Advisory Board Member
MarsWrigley
08.2022 - 11.2023
Vice President of Strategic Partnerships
GLAAD
02.2022 - 11.2023
Head of Global Council Strategy- International Major Gifts
The Juilliard School
05.2021 - 02.2022
Associate Director of Foundation & Corporate Engagement Strategy
University of California, Davis
12.2019 - 05.2021
Executive Director
The HopeCenter
08.2005 - 09.2015
Bachelor of Science - Business And Economics
University of Arkansas
Masters of Arts - Psychology
Touro University