Melissa Fuest Alexo

Writer

Melissa has worked in the alumni relations and development field for two decades. At TAG, Melissa serves as a writer drafting advancement materials, corporate, foundation, and government grant proposals, and marketing communications for independent schools, universities, health systems, and community non-profits. She has helped secure millions of dollars in funding for TAG client-partners in support of their missions and special initiatives.

Prior to joining TAG, she served as Assistant Vice President of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving and the Executive Director of the Stevens Alumni Association at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ. During her tenure, she increased the alumni giving rate from 14% to 19% by employing a digital-first communications strategy, involving alumni volunteers, and strengthening alumni engagement programs and offerings. She guided the overhaul of the school’s alumni association constitution and bylaws, bringing the 100-plus-year-old document into the 21^st century. Melissa also served a key leadership role in Stevens’ $250 million campaign, the largest in the school’s history.

Before joining Stevens, she worked at Drew University, for both the liberal arts college and theological school, as well as Union Theological Seminary. Prior to entering this field, Melissa taught English in Warsaw, Poland, and worked in public relations for a NYC-based boutique communications and marketing firm.

Melissa graduated from Drew University and lives in Cranford, NJ, with her husband Ken and their children. Melissa enjoys long-distance running, gardening, and cooking, and enthusiastically supports the New York Red Bulls soccer team.