Mellisa AllenMellisa Allen is a technology activist.  She has made a career of defining strategies that utilize technology to enable procedural & process efficiencies, drive consumer engagement and activate behaviors and also surface data to inform business decisions & growth opportunities.  Mellisa is currently the Head of Technology at Tervis Tumbler Company.  When she first started in March 2008, she became a department of one to manage the Tervis.com business.  Since then, the business has grown immensely and along with that the team of 1 turned into 20.  With the support of her talented team, Mellisa was responsible for two major site redesigns, launched a highly successful Tervis Customyzer platform with a separate iPad application, a new mobile storefront, and launched heavily followed social media platforms including Facebook (500k fans), Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, etc.  Her role and responsibilities have expanded greatly, and she now also oversees the IT and Customer Experience organizations at Tervis.

Prior to Tervis, Mellisa worked with a media agency, Starcom, in Chicago.  This is where her real appreciation for technology as a utility began.   As one of her many assignments, Mellisa was a New Media Specialist on the Disney Parks account.  During this time, she was able to help voyage the new waters of emerging technologies, which at the time included mobile (at the onset of the smartphone introduction), Video-On-Demand, streaming video, etc.  She was involved in helping concept one of Disney Parks’ first-ever mobile applications, which was a wait-buster application that helped Park Guests find fun ways to pass the time while they waited in line for rides.

Mellisa is originally from the Midwest, having grown up in LaCrosse, WI and attending Marquette University in Milwaukee, studying Public Relations & Marketing.  After graduating in May 2003, Mellisa lived in Chicago for four years and moved to Sarasota, FL the day after her honeymoon with her newlywed husband, having never stepped foot in Sarasota before!  Mellisa’s husband, Patrick, was relocated for his job with Wilson Sporting Goods in the Golf Division.  She & Patrick now live in Lakewood Ranch with their full of character and spirited 3-year-old son, Jack.

Mellisa is a high-passion, high energy mother, wife, and business leader.   Feeling fortunate for what opportunities have been afforded, Mellisa is devoted to giving back in ways she can maximize value.  Though there are many worthy causes, Mellisa is most passionate in helping connect children with opportunities to enrich their lives and their potential.