IEEE Computer Society Announces New Executive Director Melissa Russell
We are pleased to announce that Melissa Russell has been named IEEE Computer Society Executive Director. Melissa comes to us from the Optical Society (OSA) in Washington, DC.
As the Computer Society’s most senior staff member, Melissa will lead the executive team and will be responsible for managing our board of directors and volunteer groups to continue the progress of the Society’s extensive membership, international conferences, publications, standards, and training programs.
Melissa brings a wealth of knowledge and years of expertise in the non-profit sector to this position. For the past 17 years, Melissa worked for the OSA, where she held several different positions during her tenure. She most recently served as OSA’s Chief Meetings and Industry Officer, where she oversaw nearly 70 annual events, two large tradeshows, and a portfolio of industry programs and activities supporting a corporate membership of nearly 300 companies and 1,000 corporate customers.
During her time with OSA, Melissa and her team significantly increased industry engagement and expanded the scope and significance of the Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition (OFC). OFC is OSA’s largest tradeshow, recently named as one of the fastest 50 growing tradeshows in North America by Trade Show Executive. It has consistently ranked among the largest 200 tradeshows in North America for more than 10 years.
In addition to OSA, Melissa previously held positions with the National School Boards Association and the Document Management Industries Association, and was a consultant for several Internet-advertising companies.
Melissa received a BA in journalism with a specialization in advertising from The Ohio State University. She is a member of ASAE, IAEE, and CESSE.
Dear Melissa, congratulations! I am sure that you will bring our IEEE Computer Society to new heights. I will be glad to work with you as a team.