I’m Mélisse (Melissa Caraway), a creative director and designer based in Knoxville, Tennessee. I pair creative direction with the team, process, and partnership decisions needed to turn an idea into a working program.
At HEP, I rebuilt the marketing department after the previous function was dismantled. I led a peak team of five, including me, with four direct reports, replaced spreadsheet-based planning with Monday.com, and established campaign systems for four locations and six service categories.
At Master’s Editions, I directed marketing and art across seven galleries and expanded social publishing to represent every location. I also developed the printing formulations and SOPs that brought giclée production fully in-house, generating approximately $1.5 million in annual printing savings compared with outsourcing.
At Disney Store, I initiated a May the 4th activation with Lucasfilm Fan Relations and the 501st Legion that opened the door to further movie-release collaborations with Regal Theaters. I also built the store’s VoluntEAR program from zero annual volunteer hours to the highest totals in the district for two consecutive years.
My independent work spans brand and campaign design, photography, illustration, and social media content. Recent engagements include nFuse360 brand-activation photography in 2024 and Skybox Sports Bar & Grill game-day photography and video in 2025.
