Melissa Thornton serves as VP of Corporate Communications for INSP. Her team is responsible for interaction with national, local and industry media outlets; personnel, distribution, and corporate PR; industry award submissions; coordination of media interviews and press conferences; and INSP’s internal and consumer messaging via the on-campus digital signage platform. Melissa consults with the Programming Department for scheduling and promotional opportunities. Additionally, she plays an active role in the review process for on-air content and ads.
Avidly involved in community activities on behalf of the organization, Melissa serves on the board of directors of the Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce, with wide-ranging county responsibilities. Through this involvement, she cultivates corporate awareness for INSP and the telecommunications industry by presenting at local rotaries and non-profits, attending ribbon cuttings/business events and coordinating various civic and political events on the INSP campus.
Before joining INSP, Melissa served as the executive director of Classroom Teachers Association, a non-profit advocacy group in Charlotte, NC. She studied business and economics at Central Piedmont Community College. She is an active member of the WICT Charlotte, NC chapter, the Alliance for Women in Media (AWM), Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and has successfully completed Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” and “Speed of Trust.”
In her free time, Melissa is a passionate southern cook, music lover, violinist, and is a self-proclaimed Scrabble fanatic (and tournament winner). She is the mother of three adult sons.