Mellini Sxsw Pitch

About Mellini Sxsw Pitch

If you eat plain toast I\'m probably not your cup of tea-I am walking effervescence fizzing joy on every path I tread-I like to NERD OUT about the sound of voices, the prosody, the intonation, the way our voices can reveal our hearts and/or gatekeep our genius-I like to empower people, and the companies that hire them to peel back layers to get at the voice that existed before this world muzzled, choked, and silenced it with unintentional traumas and limiting beliefs-I like to give voices to things like moods, foods, experiences, spaces & places, nature, and bots-particularly digital humans—oh and native humans too-IT\'S ALWAYS THE PEOPLE FOR ME! It doesn\'t matter if I\'m working 1-1 architecting a phenomenal pitch performance, digging down to design an ethical AI voice with a team of 5, facilitating a luxury voice retreat for 50, or speaking to a crowd of about the power of the speaking voice to heal, it always goes back to honoring and uplifting humanity.So if you want to get a bit more technical, I’m actually INDUSTRY AGNOSTIC but…I\'m a visionary and voice advocate at the forefront of the voice, tech, and wellness space. As the founder of Vocal Culture Garden, a boutique consultancy, I equip individuals, organizations, and things to find their authentic voice.With a passion for \"Giving Voice to Humans and AI,\" I offer a unique range of services including consulting, coaching, auditing, ethical design, speaking, and experiential events. My expertise as the Head Pitch Performance coach for prestigious events like SXSW, coupled with collaborations with organizations such as The United States Department of Energy, accelerators like TechRise, mHub, 1871, and ethics committees like Open Voice Trustmark Initiative, I\'ve established myself as a trustworthy voice consultant, coach, and designer.From guiding speakers for TEDx Talks to preparing professionals for high-stakes presentations, I have empowered countless individuals to unleash their true potential.Beyond human communication, I am fascinated by the world of digital humans and embodied digital assistants, giving them an unmistakable voice through persona development. My approach not only enhances the user experience, it also brings the brand voice to the forefront, creating trust and loyalty with every interaction.In addition to my work in the voice arena, I am the founder of Herby PoP, an Artisan Herbed Popcorn company that tempts people to travel by mouth. Connecting tastebuds to herbs, flavor, culture, and wellness from around the globe.

Experience

1. Lead Pitch Performance Coach

   SXSW

   Jan 2020 — Present

   Craft pitch performance standards, programming, and coaching for the SXSW pitch competition. Review and give performance feedback on initial and final pitch and video submissions. Conduct private pre-event performance coaching for start-ups. Facilitate live on-site pitch performance rehearsal.

Education

• New York University

  Master's degree, Drama Therapy

  1997 — 1999

• Columbia College Chicago

  Interdisciplinary Arts, Public Relations | Theatre

  1993 — 1996