Melissa Pittinaro is a seasoned marketing strategist with over 25 years of experience in higher education and mission-driven nonprofit organizations. She joined Ithaca College in 2004 and has held multiple leadership roles since then. As Executive Director of Marketing Strategy, she oversees the college’s marketing and digital/web teams, guiding efforts to engage key audiences and working closely with her colleagues in creative/brand and communications to ensure strategic alignment across all platforms.
She has contributed to numerous college-wide initiatives, including IC’s 125th Celebration, Ithaca Together: The Presidential Inauguration, IC in the City, Cortaca ’22 at Yankee Stadium, the Experiential Learning Committee, and the IC Leaders Forum.
Prior to joining Ithaca College, she served as public relations manager at the Sciencenter, where she led communications for National Science Foundation (NSF) grants and collaborative initiatives with Cornell University focused on nanotechnology and other funded projects. She also directed marketing for the museum’s capital campaign, which tripled the facility’s size and significantly expanded its programmatic offerings.