Melissa Waggener Zorkin

Business leader, Change Agent, Concerned citizen, Entrepreneur, Global soul, Idea generator, Parent, Philanthropist, Social entrepreneur, World traveler

Melissa Waggener Zorkin is the founder and Global CEO of We. Communications, one of the largest independent communications agencies in the world. With more than 1,500 employees, We. is a powerhouse agency in over 100 international markets and has made a substantial impact in the communications industry across the globe. Melissa has cultivated partnerships with revolutionary brands, including Microsoft, Pfizer, General Mills, Nike and others, while keeping purpose at the center of the agency and her career. She uses a simple yet powerful formula for success, putting people and purpose at the heart of every decision. Melissa stays true to the agency’s mission to use the gift of communication to inspire positive action, for clients and the world. She is an inductee of the PRWeek Hall of Fame, as well as the PRWeek Hall of Femme and the ICCO Hall of Fame. Under her leadership, We. has been recognized as PRovoke North America’s Technology PR Agency of the Year. PRWeek named We. as one of its Best Places to Work since 2020. And since 2019, the Human Rights Campaign has designated We. as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality. Mentoring the next generation of communications professionals ranks high on Melissa’s list of priorities. She serves on the boards of the University of Southern California Annenberg Center for Public Relations and ColorComm. In 2021, We. launched the Young Changemakers award in partnership with PRovoke Media to celebrate women from underserved communities who have the power to revolutionize the industry. We. also has established the We. Communications Catalyst Scholarship Fund in partnership with the United Negro College Fund to provide financial resources to BIPOC students in Washington and Oregon. Through work with local and global non-profits, Melissa has helped women entrepreneurs start their own businesses, lifted female voices, and voices of color, across industries and championed numerous social impact initiatives that serve communities across several regions, most notably in North America and Africa. Melissa speaks regularly about her commitment to purpose-driven leadership, addressing audiences and events such as Cannes Lions, Mumbrella360, ColorComm, SHEQUALITY, Global ICCO PR Summit and the Indie Summit. She also shares her insights on current events, ethics, and innovation through We.’s blog. When she’s not working, Melissa enjoys traveling and outdoor activities, around her home in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Innovation, the role it plays in solving problems, and telling stories about products or issues that are new or complex in a way that builds markets, inspires lives or creates social change.

My father’s advice has stuck with me for years: In the end, you must leave every single situation you are ever in just a little bit better than it was before you got there. My fundamental belief is that change comes from one person at a time, taking a step to solve a problem in the world. At WE Communications, we expect everyone to exhibit leadership and accountability by improving every project. The grassroots efforts springing up everywhere, they WILL add up, over time.

Big Picture thinking, Communications, Digital Innovation, Entrepeneurship, Leading in complex, ambigious fast-paced environments, Mentoring and coaching, Philanthropy, Problem Solving and Decision Making, Public Relations, Social Innovation

Competitive waterskiing. Finding inspiration everywhere, even in places where you would least expect it, and always from children anywhere in the world.