Melissa Lowry serves as the director of Strategic Communications for UMKC’s Institute for Human Development.  She specializes in leading organizations through crises and periods of great change. Her work includes: 

• Public relations
• Marketing
• Branding
• Crisis Communications
• Issues/Reputation Management
• Mergers/Acquisitions
• Executive Communications
• Employee Communications
• Media Relations
• Change Management

Lowry has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism and has worked with the University of Missouri, Charleston Symphony Orchestra and American Red Cross’ Southwest Region, where she led the American Red Cross’ initial crisis communication response to the Oklahoma City Murrah Building bombing in 1995. 

Before joining UMKC-IHD, Lowry served as director of Corporate Communications for ONE Gas, the parent company of Kansas Gas Service.

She has led communication efforts for two corporate spinoffs and served as lead communicator on multiple mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, as well as for an Initial Public Offering and a company’s bankruptcy. Lowry’s work includes writing a CEO’s testimony to the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs seeking repeal of the oil export ban as well as developing press conference statements for community leaders in response to the riots in Ferguson, Mo.

Clark is accredited in public relations and a member of the elite Public Relations Society of America’s College of Fellows, which comprises approximately 350 leading professionals who have left a significant footprint on the public relations profession.

The Tulsa Business Journal recognized Lowry as a “Woman of Distinction” for her contributions to business and non-profit organizations and by the Tulsa PRSA Chapter as Professional of the Year.

She has served with numerous boards supporting women, children and education and currently serves on the board for the United Way in Ottawa, Kansas.