From Ball Girl To The CMO For The Atlanta Hawks

Listen to "From Ball Girl To The CMO Of The Atlanta Hawks".

www.GoodMorningGwinnett.com Even though Melissa M. Proctor never played basketball, her dream as a child was to be the first female coach in the NBA. Your heart will sink and soar as you live through Melissa's trials and triumphs. Through incredible experiences like surviving Hurricane Andrew, moving to London and becoming the first "ball girl" for the NBA's Miami Heat, her
unconventional path has taken a number of twists and turns that has led to earning the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena.
However, some would be surprised to learn that even at this stage of her career, Melissa still doesn't know what she wants to be when she grows up...and that's exactly how she wants it.

From Ball Girl to CMO includes relevant themes of hope, persistence, empowerment, and courage to help readers navigate everything from the personal to the professional. Throughout the pages, Melissa shares lessons learned, guiding principles, and a means of comfort for those not quite sure what to do next. She presents a powerful framework for defining "Guiding Principles" that anyone can use to help direct life decisions. With her laid-back style and down to earth attitude, Melissa offers the option of acceptance at a time when many are confused and hope when uncertainty distorts the light at the end of the tunnel. From Ball Girl to CMO urges us to look at ourselves, reflect on where we've been and be open to the possibilities of what's to come.

Melissa M. Proctor is the Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of the Atlanta Hawks & State Farm Arena. Her professional achievements earned her recognition from a multitude of publications throughout her career, including being selected to the Sports Business Journal's 2020 class of 40 under 40, the Atlanta Business Chronicle's 2017 class of 40 Under 40, Rolling Out Magazine's list of the Top 25 Women in Atlanta, The Atlanta Voice's 50 under 50, London's Leaders in Sports: Leaders Under 40, and earning a mention on Inc.'s 2017 list of 17 Inspiring Women to Watch. Part of the NBA since high school, Melissa was the first team attendant/ ball girl for the Miami Heat organization, and in later years, returned to work for the Heat in the basketball operations division. She serves on the board for The Atlanta BeltLine Partnership, The Children's Museum of Atlanta and 48 in 48. She holds a bachelor's degree in communication from Wake Forest University and a master's degree in design studies & brand strategy from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design at The London Institute. A native of Miami, FL, Melissa now resides in Atlanta, GA with her super dope daughter, Marley.