Melissa M. Proctor

From Ball Girl to CMO: A Lesson on Defining Your Guiding Principles

Even though Melissa Proctor never played basketball, her dream as a child was to be the first female coach in the NBA. Through incredible experiences like surviving Hurricane Andrew, moving to London, and becoming the first “ball girl” for the NBA’s Miami Heat, her unconventional path has taken a number of twists and turns and led to earning the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena. However, audiences will be surprised to learn that even at this stage of her career, Melissa still doesn’t know what she wants to be when she grows up…and that’s exactly how she wants it.

In this talk, Melissa discusses the relevant themes of hope, persistence, empowerment, and courage to help audiences navigate everything from personal to professional. She shares lessons learned, guiding principles, and a means of comfort for those not quite sure what to do next. With her laid-back style and down-to-earth attitude, she presents a powerful framework for defining “Guiding Principles” that anyone can use to help direct life decisions. She urges us to look at ourselves, reflect on where we’ve been, and be open to the possibilities of what’s to come.

Brand Strategy: How to Build a Winner

In this talk, award-winning brand marketer Melissa Proctor shares her experiences in building world class brands in both entertainment and sports. Helping audiences understand the key elements of brand building, relevance and the importance of the F word… FOCUS. Through sharing real-life examples and tactics for success, Melissa offers a unique framework for marketers to view brand strategy through a new lens. Whether you’re building a brand from scratch or thinking of ways to elevate your current brand, this talk is sure to educate and inspire as Melissa shares the steps to building a WINNING and authentic brand.