Melissa Derrick Adair

Founder

Melissa is a passionate fundraiser with a lifelong commitment to doing good. Throughout her 25-year career in non-profit fundraising consulting, she has led hundreds of non-profits across North America to achieve their fundraising goals and further their mission. Her experience stretches across vertical markets, including higher education, Greek life, healthcare, arts and community-based non-profits.

 

Melissa is known for her innovative, data-driven strategies to cultivate life-long donors. They are grounded in the strength of data, analytics and deliverability. What makes her strategies unique is that they draw on the art of fundraising by integrating channels based on their strengths and optimizing the campaign through rhetoric and imagery. 

 

Melissa's passion for non-profits extends beyond her professional career. She is a lifetime member of both Delta Gamma Fraternity and Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. - actively volunteering with both organizations. In her local community, Melissa established the PTO fundraising programs and elevated them to 501c3 organizations. 

 

Melissa earned her B.A. in Political Science and Speech Communications from the University of Georgia and her M.B.A. from Mississippi State University. She lives near Athens, Georgia with her family. She loves cheering on her Dawgs, drawing and, of course, Doing Good!