Community Highlights: Meet Melinda Swan of The Collective Genius, Anchored to Hope & Greater Common Good

Today we’d like to introduce you to Melinda Swan.

Hi Melinda, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I’m an entrepreneur who loves to do well by doing good. I currently head two companies and contribute to the leadership of a nonprofit as well. The Collective Genius provides strategic marketing and communications services to a number of clients, including those working for social justice, racial equity, addiction treatment, and higher education. Anchored2 Hope created and hosts a recovery support platform for people with addiction or mental health concerns. And Greater Common Good (GCG)is a nonprofit dedicated to creating innovative solutions to larger social issues. GCG is currently overseeing a pilot program involving justice-involved people throughout Ohio – thanks to a pilot funding from the state of Ohio.

I started my journey in college when I was blessed to land an internship with a political science professor and former political reporter. I didn’t know it then, but helping edit and write a book he was publishing on the images of American presidents foreshadowed future roles working as an aide in the Ohio Senate, a press secretary to an attorney general, a press secretary and then campaign manager for two statewide campaigns, and a stint as chief of staff for Columbus City Council. All of these public sector experiences afforded me incredible opportunities to do good things for people, working on important issues from the economic development to the environment, domestic violence, health and emergency medical care and greater inclusion regardles of gender, race, sexual orientation and sexual identity.

I also learned a great deal from my stint as chief operating officer for YWCA Columbus, turning a failing family shelter into an A+-rated program and strengthening our social enterprise funding by stepping up our game and becoming the first after-school in Ohio to offer online registration. And as an Associate VP for Marketing and Communications at The Ohio State University, I led a first-ever campus-wide research effort, won national attention for inner-disciplinary research efforts, and led the movement toward a first-ever Advancement model. I started my first company at 32 and now my second and third companies over the last 12 years. 

I see the breadth and depth of these experiences as incredibly valuable, and I am deeply grateful to have had these opportunities.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Smooth, hardly. Great learning experiences? Definitely. I’ve been working on my tech platform for almost ten years, mostly unpaid. I’ve had stumbles and fumbles and discovered that the more you try to accomplish, the greater the risk of mistakes.

But through it all, I’ve come to understand that the joy really is in the journey and staying focused on what you can do to serve others. Live in the process and embrace every chance to grow, learn and evolve.

As you know, we’re big fans of The Collective Genius, Anchored to Hope & Greater Common Good. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
TCG enlivens brands and visions to engage key audiences in authentic and compelling ways. From honing executive presence to fostering shared understanding, crafting market-dominating campaigns, and giving voice to courageous thought leadership, we bring you experienced teams who share your passion for making a difference. We also specialize in hosting constructive conversations that count especially on college campuses. 

Anchored To Hope uniquely harnesses technology to improve the lives of justice-involved people.

And Greater Common Good incubates innovative approaches to advancing the collective good.

Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
I loved visiting my aunt’s farm in rural Missouri. Feeding chickens, running up the hills, playing with my uncle’s dogs, eating fresh tomatoes from the garden, enjoying the unlimited love and attention of my aunt and Uncle – I’m quite sure I learned to love nature because of these experiences.  Similarly, my grandfather and I used to “fish” which was really just an excuse to spend time together and laugh at his never-ending stories.