Christina Melvin-DeWees brings a breadth of experience in health care communications to the OPEN MINDS team. She has a proven track record in the design, development, and management of publishing and communications initiatives. She is also a skilled storyteller driving brand awareness and optimizing client and customer engagement.

Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Ms. Melvin-DeWees served as the Senior Content Strategist at the California Health & Human Services Agency (CalHHS). She developed and implemented a comprehensive communications strategy for the CalHHS Equity Dashboard, which enhanced visibility and engagement across a diverse workforce of over 5,000 employees. She also organized quarterly ADA accessible townhall meetings and webinars, achieving an 85% attendance rate by crafting relevant and engaging content. She standardized the brand voice and tone by leading a cross-functional team to develop a brand style guide, which resulted in a 25% increase in brand awareness within two years.

Previously, Ms. Melvin-DeWees served as a Communications Manager Consultant at Hagerty Consulting, a firm specializing in emergency management and disaster recovery. In her work, she achieved a 20% increase in community engagement by crafting targeted communication strategies, enhancing community outreach, and effectively supporting governmental partners in their communication efforts. She led the development and release of over 50 articles, videos, and briefs – and achieved a 30% increase in communication efficiency within one year by streamlining content production processes. In this role, Ms. Melvin-DeWees conducted ADA compliance checks on all communication material, which ensured accessibility and inclusivity across digital and print platforms resulting in a 15% increase in audience reach and engagement.

Prior to her work at Hagerty Consulting, Ms. Melvin-DeWees served as the E-Commerce Team Lead at Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy. She managed e-commerce communication efforts across a distributed workforce, ensuring consistent and impactful messaging and engagement across all regions.

Previously, Ms. Melvin-DeWees served as Program Analyst, Internal Communications and Employee Affairs, and as Public Information Officer (Acting) for Transportation & Environmental Services. While in these roles, she implemented and oversaw internal communication strategies for the government agency. She functioned as a strategic communications partner to senior leadership, ensuring alignment with agency mission, strategy, and culture. She successfully enhanced internal and external communications to drive organizational goals, improve employee engagement, and increase overall operational efficiency.

Ms. Melvin-DeWees earned her Master of Science degree in Psychology and her Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Ethnic Studies from the City College of New York (CUNY). She also has her Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification.