Melanie Roussell Newman is the senior vice president of communications and culture at Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. In this role, she oversees the communications, content innovation, and brand and culture teams. Together, these teams help shape awareness of the organization’s programs, services, activities, and brand.

Before joining Planned Parenthood in 2019, Melanie was the chief communications officer at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and led communications at the U.S. Department of Justice, the White House Office of Budget and Management, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in the Obama Administration. She has also been a national spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee, Obama for America 2008, and the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee. Melanie received her B.S. in broadcast journalism from Florida A&M University and her master’s degree in public communication from American University..