EXTENDED TEAM
Melissa Manning
Marketing & Public Relations
Adept at synthesizing complex information into news and insights for mainstream and scientific audiences, Melissa Manning is an award-winning writer, journalist, public relations and marketing professional who has built extensive relationships with key press contacts globally.
Melissa is a Houston-based communications executive with more than 30 years of experience covering the global oil, gas, chemicals, refining, renewable energy, medical research, healthcare, agriculture, technology and aerospace industries.
​
She is the former Executive Director of Public Relations for IHS Markit, where she had responsibility for all sectors of the energy, chemical and agricultural value chain. As part of that effort, she wrote daily news content and market analysis for press and customer outreach. In addition, she provided media training, executive communications counsel and guidance to IHS Markit analysts and executives and helped them engage daily with the news media. Melissa also provided consultation for international projects in support of energy ministries.
Prior to that, Melissa worked for Lockheed Martin at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, supporting astronauts, engineers and scientists involved in life science research projects that flew on the U.S. Shuttle to the Russian Mir Space Station. Additionally, she supported the astronaut crews during flight as she worked at Mission Control.
Earlier in her career, she was a medical writer, editor, fund-raising and media relations professional for the Texas Heart Institute and Baylor College of Medicine, where she had the privilege of working closely with pioneering legends in cardiovascular surgery and medicine—Denton A. Cooley, MD, and Michael E. DeBakey, MD
She has served as president and board member for the Advisory Board for the College of Liberal and Applied Arts at Stephen F. Austin State University and for the Houston Professional Chapter of The Association for Women in Communications. Melissa is a board member of the Bering Omega Community Services Foundation and is an original member of the H Magazine committee for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo where she currently serves as an editorial board member.
​
Melissa received her blackbelt in karate in 1994, is a mother of three girls, and is passionate about social justice and causes that benefit children, animals, veterans, the elderly, education, sustainability and equality.
​
A graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX, Melissa completed double majors in communication and sociology with a minor in radio/TV.
