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Melissa Fincher
Principal & Practice Leader, Marketing and Communications
Columbus OH USA
Get in TouchMelissa Fincher has developed deep trusting relationships through years of higher education, nonprofit, and academic medicine collaborations. Her varied experiences make her uniquely qualified to support clients in attracting high-caliber leaders for today’s dynamic and demanding higher education environment. Among her areas of expertise are marketing and communications, advancement, and arts leadership.
A New Jersey native, she started her career at her alma mater, Rutgers University, as a member of the undergraduate admissions team. She then served Johns Hopkins External Affairs and Development, first as a member of the senior leadership team developing critical institutional partnerships and executing priority projects and then as a human resources consultant with a primary focus on talent acquisition and career pathing.
Immediately prior to joining WittKieffer, Melissa was a talent and organizational development consultant at The Ohio State University. In this role, she developed strategic initiatives to grow, develop, and diversify a workforce of more than 1,000 full-time employees. Melissa led organizational design and assessment efforts including integration strategies for merged organizational models, a comprehensive reclassification and salary study, and workforce planning.
Melissa is a conservatory-trained fine artist, having studied art and architecture in Paris. She has a master’s degree in arts administration with a concentration in community cultural planning and philanthropy. In addition, she has completed the eCornell certificate program in Diversity and Inclusion, which focuses on improving employee engagement, counteracting unconscious bias, and fostering an inclusive work climate.
Distinctions
WittKieffer Quality Award Winner
Education
M.S., Arts Administration, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
B.F.A., Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
Expertise
Academic and Education Leadership
Arts Leadership and Museums
Deans and Academic Leadership
Development and Advancement
Human Resources
Marketing and Communications
Social Impact and Nonprofits
Vice Presidents and Officers