Melissa Schwartz is a communications strategist and executive advisor who helps leaders and mission-driven organizations navigate moments of consequence. Throughout her career, Melissa has advised Cabinet secretaries, nonprofit executives, attorneys, advocates, and other senior leaders facing complex communications challenges. With 30 years of experience spanning government, advocacy, politics, and the private sector, she specializes in building communications functions, leading rapid response, managing crisis, shaping public narratives, and translating complex issues into compelling stories that move people and influence decision-makers.

Today, as the Founder & President of Stamina Strategies, Melissa partners with organizations that are building movements, advancing policy, navigating pivotal moments, or launching something new to turn strategy into action.

Melissa previously served as Chief Public Affairs & Policy Officer at Democracy Forward, where she led communications, public affairs, digital strategy, policy, and grassroots fundraising during a period of extraordinary growth while helping establish the organization as a leading national voice defending democracy and the rule of law.

Melissa served in senior leadership roles throughout the Biden-Harris administration at the U.S. Department of the Interior, including Senior Counselor to Secretary Deb Haaland, Chief of Staff to Acting Deputy Secretary Laura Daniel-Davis, and Communications Director. In the Obama-Biden administration, she held senior communications roles at the U.S. Departments of Justice and the Interior. At Justice, she led on issues ranging from violence against women to Tribal justice; at Interior, she was recruited to manage crisis communications and restore public confidence following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, one of the nation’s largest environmental crises.

Melissa spent nearly a decade as Chief Operating Officer of The Bromwich Group, leading crisis communications and strategic public affairs for nationally recognized leaders and organizations, including former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, and mission-driven organizations advancing conservation, climate, gender-based violence prevention, and public policy priorities.

A sought-after trainer and educator, Melissa has coached hundreds of executives, elected officials, candidates, and advocates. She earned her M.A. in Political Communications from Johns Hopkins University and graduated summa cum laude from the University of California, Berkeley with a B.A. in American Studies.