Oklahoma City –- Goodwill Industries of Central Oklahoma (Goodwill) has announced the hiring of Melissa Richey as the Vice President of Community Engagement.
“We are excited to welcome Melissa to our Goodwill family and look forward to working with her as a key member of our executive leadership team,” Goodwill President & CEO Jim Priest said.
“Melissa’s impressive professional experience will aid us in expanding our fundraising and communications agendas to further the mission of Goodwill as we help Oklahomans overcome challenges to employment.”
As Vice President of Community Engagement, Richey will be responsible for implementing a robust community engagement plan and achieving targets for organizational growth. This includes the oversight of communications and outreach as well as aiding the nonprofit’s growth in fundraising and “friendraising.”
A seasoned communications professional, Richey brings more than 20 years of experience in public relations, media relations, marketing, digital media, crisis communications, advertising and fundraising to her position as Vice President of Community Engagement.
Prior to joining Goodwill, Richey served as chief of communications for the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, where she oversaw multiple strategic advertising and media relations campaigns aimed at increasing awareness of Medicaid benefits for more than one million Oklahomans.
Richey also previously held a communications leadership position with The Children’s Center Rehabilitation Hospital, where she oversaw multiple strategic branding, marketing and public relations campaigns to increase national and local awareness.
Richey is currently a member of the Goodwill Industries International PR and Marketing Affinity Group, a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, as well as the Past President of the Oklahoma City Chapter of Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and the Oklahoma City Chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF).
She has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including being named by PRSA as the OKC Public Relations Professional of the Year, Member of the Year by OKC AAF, The Journal Record as an Achiever Under 40, The Oklahoman’s 21st Century Influential Women in Healthcare, Oklahoma Magazine’s 40 Under 40 and the Core Value Award for Excellence in Leadership by The Children’s Center Rehabilitation Hospital.
Note: Goodwill Industries of Central Oklahoma (okgoodwill.org) is a community-based, nonprofit agency in Central Oklahoma with one outlet store, 24 retail stores and 17 attended donation centers, as well as an employment services center throughout 37 counties. Goodwill is a sustainable social enterprise that funds job training programs, employment placement services and other community-based programs by selling donated clothing and household items.