LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 27 June 2018 – IEEE Computer Society (IEEE-CS) is pleased to announce Melissa Russell as the new Executive Director, effective immediately. As IEEE-CS’s most senior staff member, Russell will lead the executive team and will be responsible for managing the board of directors and volunteer groups to continue the progress of the Society’s extensive membership, international conferences, publications, standards, and training programs.
“I am excited to work with this exceptional team as we drive our mission of being the leading provider of technical information, community services, and personalized services to the world’s computing professionals,” said Russell.
Russell brings a wealth of knowledge and years of expertise in the non-profit sector to this position. For the past 17 years, Russell worked for the Optical Society (OSA) in Washington, DC, where she held several different positions during her tenure. She most recently served as OSA’s Chief Meetings and Industry Officer, where she oversaw nearly 70 annual events, two large tradeshows, and a portfolio of industry programs and activities supporting a corporate membership of nearly 300 companies and 1,000 corporate customers.
During her time with OSA, Russell and her team significantly increased industry engagement and expanded the scope and significance of the Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition (OFC). OFC is OSA’s largest tradeshow, recently named as one of the fastest 50 growing tradeshows in North America by Trade Show Executive. It has consistently ranked among the largest 200 tradeshows in North America for more than 10 years.
In addition to OSA, Russell previously held positions with the National School Boards Association and the Document Management Industries Association, and was a consultant for several Internet-advertising companies.
Russell received a BA in journalism with a specialization in advertising from The Ohio State University. She is a member of ASAE, IAEE, and CESSE.
