www.GoodMorningGwinnett.com Even though Melissa M. Proctor never played basketball, her dream as
a child was to be the first female coach in the NBA. Your heart will sink
and soar as you live through Melissa's trials and triumphs. Through
incredible experiences like surviving Hurricane Andrew, moving to
London and becoming the first "ball girl" for the NBA's Miami Heat, her
unconventional path has taken a number of twists and turns that has
led to earning the position of Executive Vice President and Chief
Marketing Officer for the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena.
However, some would be surprised to learn that even at this stage of
her career, Melissa still doesn't know what she wants to be when she
grows up...and that's exactly how she wants it.
From Ball Girl to CMO includes relevant themes of hope, persistence,
empowerment, and courage to help readers navigate everything
from the personal to the professional. Throughout the pages, Melissa
shares lessons learned, guiding principles, and a means of comfort
for those not quite sure what to do next. She presents a powerful
framework for defining "Guiding Principles" that anyone can use to
help direct life decisions. With her laid-back style and down to earth
attitude, Melissa offers the option of acceptance at a time when
many are confused and hope when uncertainty distorts the light at
the end of the tunnel. From Ball Girl to CMO urges us to look at
ourselves, reflect on where we've been and be open to the possibilities
of what's to come.
Melissa M. Proctor is the Executive Vice President and Chief
Marketing Officer of the Atlanta Hawks & State Farm Arena. Her
professional achievements earned her recognition from a
multitude of publications throughout her career, including being
selected to the Sports Business Journal's 2020 class of 40 under
40, the Atlanta Business Chronicle's 2017 class of 40 Under 40,
Rolling Out Magazine's list of the Top 25 Women in Atlanta, The
Atlanta Voice's 50 under 50, London's Leaders in Sports: Leaders
Under 40, and earning a mention on Inc.'s 2017 list of 17 Inspiring
Women to Watch. Part of the NBA since high school, Melissa was
the first team attendant/ ball girl for the Miami Heat
organization, and in later years, returned to work for the Heat in
the basketball operations division. She serves on the board for
The Atlanta BeltLine Partnership, The Children's Museum of
Atlanta and 48 in 48. She holds a bachelor's degree in
communication from Wake Forest University and a master's
degree in design studies & brand strategy from Central Saint
Martins College of Art and Design at The London Institute. A
native of Miami, FL, Melissa now resides in Atlanta, GA with her
super dope daughter, Marley