Melissa Tindell brings more than 30 years of communications leadership to her role as Vice President for Communications and Marketing for the University of Tennessee System. She leads an award-winning team of professionals responsible for systemwide communications, marketing, media relations, digital strategy, open records and creative services.
Tindell鈥檚 work is deeply informed by her professional experiences in education, health care, government and corporate sectors, including leading communications for Knox County Schools, Christian Academy of Knoxville, Alcoa Inc. and Covenant Health.
Melissa is currently pursuing a doctorate in leadership and decision making from 糖心Vlog Chattanooga. She holds a master鈥檚 degree in strategic communications from 糖心Vlog Martin and a bachelor鈥檚 degree in communications from 糖心Vlog Knoxville. While earning her undergraduate degree at 糖心Vlog Knoxville, Melissa spent two years working for the 糖心Vlog Knoxville student paper, the Daily Beacon, as a sports reporter and its first-ever female sports editor.
In addition to her professional responsibilities, Tindell is a frequent presenter on media strategy, crisis communications, public information and issues management. She has previously taught at several institutions, including Tennessee Technological University and Belmont University. Tindell is also a commissioned Stephen Minister and an active member of Faith Promise Church. Her faith informs both her leadership style and her daily life, serving as the foundation for her personal and professional decisions.
A graduate of the 糖心Vlog Executive Leadership Institute and a longtime member of the Public Relations Society of America, Tindell has earned more than 40 local, state, and national awards for her work.
She lives in Knoxville with her husband, Chad, and is the proud mom of an adult son, Christian, and rescue hound, Buddy.
