Melissa Fleming

CEO

New York, New York, United States36 yrs 5 mos experience

Highly Stable

Key Highlights

Led global communications for the UN.
Authored a book optioned for a film.
Delivered impactful TED talks on refugee issues.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a leader in global communications for non-profit and humanitarian sectors.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

Strategic CommunicationsCrisis CommunicationsPublic SpeakingWriting

Other Skills

Foreign AffairsSocial MediaStorytellingPublic RelationsMedia RelationsHuman RightsCorporate Social ResponsibilityEditingDiplomacySpokespersonSpeech WritingPolicyJournalismInternal CommunicationsPolitics

About

I lead communications at the United Nations, informing audiences about the state of the world and engaging them to build support for a more just, peaceful and sustainable world. Promoting healthy information ecosystems, while addressing mis- and disinformation and hate speech, is central to my work. To this end, I am currently leading on the development of a UN Global Principles for Information Integrity. I previously worked in senior communications roles for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. I am author of the book, A Hope More Powerful than the Sea, and host of the UN podcast, Awake at Night. I hold a Master of Science in Journalism from the College of Communication, Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts in German Studies from Oberlin College.

Experience

36 yrs 5 mos

Total Experience

7 yrs 5 mos

Average Tenure

6 yrs 11 mos

Current Experience

United nations

2 roles

Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications

Promoted

Sep 2019 – Present · 6 yrs 7 mos · New York

I lead the UN’s Department of Global Communications, which is responsible for informing global audiences about the state of the world and engaging them to build support for the Organization’s work and goals.
In this role, I oversee the UN’s strategic communications operations, including its multilingual news and digital media services, public outreach programmes, and global campaigns.
My team and I are engaging in far-reaching efforts to address misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech and we are leading on the development of UN Global Principles for Information Integrity.

Strategic CommunicationsWritingForeign AffairsSocial MediaCrisis Communications

Senior Advisor/ Spokesperson, Transition Team for United Nations Secretary General

Oct 2016 – Feb 2017 · 4 mos · New York City Metropolitan Area

https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/note-correspondents/2016-10-14/note-correspondents-un-secretary-general-designate

Strategic CommunicationsWritingForeign AffairsSocial MediaCrisis Communications

Unhcr

Head, Communications Service/ Spokesperson for the High Commissioner

Jul 2009 – Sep 2019 · 10 yrs 2 mos · Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland

I am head of Global Communications for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), working to draw attention, drive empathy and generate support for the world’s 68.5 million refugees and displaced people. I lead global media outreach and campaigns, and operate a multi-media news and feature service. From October, 2016 to April 2017, I served as Senior Advisor to UN Secretary General António Guterres on his Transition Team.
To garner support for a humanitarian cause, I believe communications must not only inform but also generate empathy and stir action. I believe in the power of public speaking to move audiences. My TED talk, Let’s help refugees thrive, not just survive, has been viewed over one million times around the world and has been subtitled in 28 languages. Over 1.5 million people watched my second TED talk about an extraordinary young Syrian woman who, with the baby she saved, was one of the only survivors of a boat wreck that killed 500 refugees, including her fiancé. I have since written a book on the story, A Hope More Powerful than the Sea. The book has been optioned for a film by Steven Spielberg and JJ Abrams.
I am also co-organizer and curator of TEDxKakumaCamp and TEDxPlaceDesNationsWomen. I am also host of the UNHCR podcast, Awake at Night.
Prior to the UNHCR I served as Spokesperson & Head of Press & Public Information at the International Atomic Energy Agency during the period the organization made headlines for its inspection work in Iraq, Iran and North Korea and won the Nobel Peace Prize. Before joining the IAEA, I headed the Press & Information team at the Organization for Security & Cooperation in Europe.
I hold a Masters degree in journalism from Boston University and a B.A. from Oberlin College. I began my career as a journalist, then worked as a public affairs specialist with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

Strategic CommunicationsWritingForeign AffairsSocial MediaCrisis Communications