Good leadership is important—it matters to employees, customers, and the economy in general. We see a lot of good leaders out there. Great leadership, however, is much harder to come by, and we wanted to take a moment to give a big shout out to a great leader who has made a difference to so many of us—and she’s one of our own.
We’re all so proud of our CMO and Go-to-Market Strategist, Kristi Melani, who joined us two years ago and has been a fantastic team builder here at Telesign. She’s taken us from a small group to nearly 60 marketing professionals, but of course it’s not just numbers—it’s the vision and spirit with which she leads every day that has turned us into a marketing organization we’re all proud to be a part of.
So it came as no surprise to us when Ragan PR Daily named Melani as one of the top women in marketing for 2023. Melani has been recognized in the category of team leader (and we can second that!).
The award program honors female marketing professionals who are elevating brands and products, breaking barriers within their organizations and advancing the marketing profession. Ragan’s PR Daily is a highly regarded brand for public relations professionals and offers news, advice, and benchmarking via PRDaily.com.
It all starts with trust
Melani’s incredible leadership and passion for building trust with customers is not news to us, but we are happy to see this recognition from beyond our company. She has made a positive impact on Telesign, both externally and internally. Melani led the team through a rebranding and reimagining of our messaging, ensuring that it conveys a human touch to both our customers and employees and emphasizes our role in cultivating trust.
In a recent press release, Joe Burton, Telesign CEO, acknowledged the significant contribution Melani has made in transforming the Telesign brand. “Through Kristi’s leadership, a new Telesign has emerged, characterized by its dedication to understanding and addressing universal human concerns in the digital realm.”
A major thrust of Melani’s leadership has been addressing the need to establish trust in the Telesign brand, as well as to help customers nurture trust with their users. Through the Continuous Trust™ Authority, a global initiative to help make the digital world a safer place, and the Trust Certified Badge, a program that allows Telesign customers to showcase that they have employed powerful fraud prevention standards to protect their own customers, Melani has helped further our brand promise to foster Continuous Trust in the digital world.
An advocate for brands and people
Melani has also had a positive impact internally. She played a pivotal role in the establishment of Telesign’s Employee Ambassador Council, a select group tasked with promoting the company’s brand, services, products, and people. Additionally, during Women’s History Month, Melani facilitated the launch of Women@Telesign, an Employee Resource Group designed to empower women in the tech industry. These initiatives underscore Telesign’s commitment to fostering inclusion, belonging, and trust within its workforce.
Mentorship is another core tenet of Melani’s leadership philosophy, as she actively engages in guiding professionals both inside and outside of Telesign. Her involvement in the Women Unlimited leadership program exemplifies her dedication to mentoring mid-level managers and preparing them for higher leadership roles.
Telesign’s Allyson Kohler, Creative Director, is one of the women Kristi recommended to the Women Unlimited LEAD program, a 12-month leadership education and development program focused on learning to manage strategically. Allyson recently completed that program and shared this:
“Throughout the year Kristi shared valuable advice garnered from her own career and provided insights into being a savvy leader. That guidance has been instrumental in enhancing my own leadership presence and has helped me communicate and lead with greater confidence.”
Melani will be honored on Thursday, Oct. 26 during a luncheon at the City Winery in New York City to celebrate the 2023 class of female marketing leaders. Click here for a full list of honorees.
Congratulations for this well-deserved honor, Kristi, and thank you for your outstanding leadership and commitment to building trust!
