Owner & Principal Consultant
Melissa Goertzen is a research, communications, and strategic advisory professional with more than 15 years of experience supporting government, academic, nonprofit, and institutional organizations.
As Owner and Principal Consultant of Melissa Joy Goertzen, she provides senior-level services in strategic communications, executive writing, institutional assessment, policy analysis, research, and implementation-focused documentation. Her work helps organizations understand complex issues, communicate effectively with stakeholders, and translate research and strategy into practical action.
Melissa’s experience spans public-sector leadership, higher education, institutional research, policy modernization, and public engagement initiatives. She has worked with provincial governments, universities, nonprofit organizations, academic publishers, and executive leaders on projects involving governance, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, organizational change, and public communication.
In 2022, Melissa’s work was recognized with the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (Nova Scotia), reflecting outstanding contributions to vice-regal programming and ceremonial events within Nova Scotia.
Areas of Expertise
- Strategic Communications
- Executive Speechwriting & Briefing Materials
- Institutional Assessment & Strategic Research
- Policy Analysis & Modernization
- Governance & Stakeholder Engagement
- Jurisdictional and Environmental Scans
- Reports, Guidebooks & Knowledge Translation
- Public Engagement & Communications Planning
- Organizational Documentation & Framework Development
- Information Management & Research Methodologies
Experience & Education
Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia
From 2021 to 2025, Melissa served as Communications Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, where she held delegated authority for the development, review, and approval of official communications materials. During her tenure, she supported two Lieutenant Governors and was responsible for executive speechwriting, media materials, public engagement communications, ceremonial content, reports, and strategic communications initiatives.
Government of Nova Scotia
Prior to joining the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Melissa worked as a Policy and Research Analyst with Service Nova Scotia, where she contributed to legislative modernization initiatives, jurisdictional research, stakeholder engagement projects, Executive Council submissions, briefing materials, and implementation-focused public education resources.
Columbia University in the City of New York
Melissa also spent four years at Columbia University in the City of New York, where she led a multi-year institutional assessment examining e-book collections, research workflows, and evidence-based planning within academic research environments. The work resulted in publications, industry collaborations, conference presentations, webinars, and professional resources distributed throughout the academic library community.
University of Calgary
Her professional experience also includes project management and information management roles at the University of Calgary, where she supported large-scale digitization, research, and institutional information initiatives.
Degrees & Diplomas
Melissa holds a Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) from Dalhousie University. She also graduated from the University of Calgary with two Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and History.
Melissa’s educational brings a unique combination of research expertise, communications experience, systems thinking, and implementation-focused problem solving to every project.
Approach to Engagements
Melissa’s work is grounded in a simple principle: organizations make better decisions when complex information is structured clearly, supported by evidence, and communicated effectively.
Whether developing executive communications, conducting institutional research, analyzing policy issues, or creating implementation resources, her approach emphasizes clarity, rigor, practicality, and a deep understanding of organizational context.
Get in Touch
From institutional assessment and policy modernization to executive communications and implementation guidance, services are tailored to help organizations navigate complexity and move initiatives forward.
Melissa Joy Goertzen 