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 methods, 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 based across North America, Europe, and Australia.
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
- 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 the Government of Nova Scotia, where she contributed to legislative modernization initiatives, Executive Council submissions, briefing materials, jurisdictional research, stakeholder consultations, and implementation-focused public education resources.
Columbia University in the City of New York
After completing her Master of Information Management (MLIS), Melissa accepted a position with 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, international conference presentations, webinars, and published professional resources distributed throughout the academic library community in North America.
University of Calgary
Melissa spent three years in digital project management and information management roles at the University of Calgary, where she supported fourteen large-scale digitization, research, and institutional information initiatives. She won an industry award from Digital Alberta for digital projects that provided open access to archival materials housed in Special Collections, University of Calgary Libraries.
Degrees & Diplomas
Melissa holds a Master of Information Management (MLIS) from Dalhousie University. She also graduated from the University of Calgary with two Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and History.
While living in New York City, Melissa completed a Diploma program in Online and Social Media Marketing at Pratt Institute.
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 