~Mellanie Kai Lassiter

With over 15 years of experience in philanthropic and nonprofit positions in the Greater Philadelphia area, and a lifetime of leadership and paying it forward, Mellanie Kai Lassiter is a renaissance relationship manager skilled in linking people in need with people who care. Her success in building relationships, program development, and working and communicating effectively with media, and corporate and civic leaders has positioned her as a leader in corporate social responsibility; and her propensity for personally investing in individuals has made her a true champion of people, who is driven by purpose and not position.

Personally, Mellanie is the daughter of a second generation pastor, an aunt to one niece and one nephew, and a friend and mentor to many. She is someone who looks to empower individuals and communities by planting seeds for advancement, as evidenced by the weekly updates to her blog that touch on topics from how to be an effective leader and checking your ‘Emotional IQ,’ to forgiveness and the dynamics of interpersonal relationships. “My Best Selfie Yet” is the theme of her writing, and with it, Mellanie seeks to empower and uplift by encouraging people to live their best life and be the best version of themselves, based on Christian principles.

Professionally, Mellanie serves as the External Affairs Manager for a major utility in Philadelphia. In her role, she develops and enhances relationships with Philadelphia government officials and key stakeholders to resolve emergent issues in an effective manner, to result in a positive impact to customer and community satisfaction. She functions as the primary contact for elected officials, local media, civic and business organizations and community leaders to optimize the corporate image and community corporate messages, while working closely with the Operations team in regards to Philadelphia issues impacting the company. Prior to stepping into this role, Mellanie served as the company’s Corporate Contributions Manager in the Office of Corporate Relations. She managed corporate contributions and corporate citizenship programs for the company including grants, related benefits and employee participation in community events throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding counties; and identified opportunities for the company to not only provide monetary support to institutions, organizations and initiatives, but to also engage directly with various minority and underserved communities.

Mellanie is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and the Philadelphia Chapter of The Links, Inc., serving as Co-Chair of the HBCU Committee which is currently developing a virtual mentoring program with Cheyney University. She holds an undergraduate degree from Spelman College and a Masters Degree in Training and Organization Development from St. Joseph’s University.

Most recently, Mellanie had a chapter featured in “Resilience: Living Life by Design,” a personal and insightful publication formed from the collaboration of 12 contributing artists. She recently participated in a book signing in the Philadelphia area, and continues engage in these events which feature her writing and public speaking abilities.

To follow Mellanie’s weekly musings, bookmark http://www.mellanielassiter.com.