Melissa Connolly

Melissa Connolly serves as the Vice President for Communications and Marketing at the University at Albany.

In her career, Melissa has had extensive experience in branding, digital and traditional marketing, content creation, media relations, crisis communications, event production, and external relations, most recently as Vice President for University Relations at Hofstra University for almost two decades.

While at Hofstra University, Melissa played significant roles in the production of three general election presidential debates and the accompanying community and educational programs; a gubernatorial general election debate and a primary debate, the University’s overall voter education program and the University’s year-long 75th anniversary celebration, as well as the launch of the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, the Hofstra/Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies, and the DeMatteis School of Engineering. She represented Hofstra regionally and volunteered on efforts such as Nassau County’s coronavirus task force, Representative Caroline McCarthy’s economic development task force, and the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council. While at Hofstra, she served as an adjunct assistant professor in the department of Journalism, Public Relations and Media Studies and in the department of English and Creative Writing.  

Before joining Hofstra University, Melissa had communications and marketing roles at the New York State Senate, Farrell Fritz PC, Richner Publications and Fairchild Publications, and served as an Americorp Volunteer at Project Challenge in Long Beach, New York.

Melissa has been honored with the “Go Getter” award commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts of Nassau County, the Jack Rettaglia Lifetime Achievement Award by the Public Relations Professionals of Long Island, the Butterfly Award by Girls Inc. of Long Island, a PR News Professional of the Year award (education category), and a Top 50 Women/Hall of Fame by Long Island Business News.

A community advocate, Melissa has served on the boards of Vision Long Island, the Book Fairies, the Girl Scouts of Nassau County, the Long Island Convention and Visitors Bureau, the YMCA of Long Island, IABC Long Island and the Long Island Women’s Agenda, and was a long-serving volunteer for the Interfaith Nutrition Network, the St. Thomas Parents Club and the Girl Scouts of Nassau County as a troop leader and community organizer.

Melissa has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from Hofstra University as well as a certificate in Digital Marketing: Customer Engagement, Social Media, Planning & Analytics from the Columbia University School of Business.