Melanie is a social entrepreneur and award-winning creative with a passion for justice, equality and storytelling. Starting a degree in Mathematics & Philosophy at Trinity College Dublin, she decided to take a detour and enrolled in art college, leading to a career working on iconic global brands and NGOs at some of the world's best advertising agencies in London and Paris.
On a career break she found herself in Kenya, where some soul searching sparked a new career direction that would enable her to apply her creativity and dynamism for the good of humanity.
In 2016 she founded Herstory, spearheading Herstory on RTÉ -the first comprehensive women’s storytelling platform on Ireland’s national broadcaster; Blazing a Trail - the first women’s exhibition to tour the Irish Embassy network worldwide; and the campaign to make Brigid’s Day Ireland’s first national holiday named after a woman.
When Melanie’s not masterminding new arts education projects or swimming in the sea, she loves to put pen to paper. A Compassionate Feminist, she believes we can turn the war of the sexes into a dance to equality. On RTÉ Culture she explores her personal migration story and the inspiration behind our Movement project. A born naturalist, her quest for authentic stories led her to Borneo where she immersed in the indigenous Dayak culture and made lifelong friends with the guardians of the Borneo rainforest.
