Crafting captivating stories isn’t just my skill — it’s my playbook

A schematic diagram of a folding ruler showing its segmented, adjustable construction with a yellow color scheme.

Melissa Gomez posing for a portrait (a woman with short, curly dark hair smiling with arms crossed, wearing a colorful, patterned shirt, standing against a pink gradient background).

Hi! I’m Melissa Gomez, Founder & Point Guard of alley-oop creative. I’m a seasoned creative & communications strategist, cultural producer, Miami expert, and WNBA connoisseur with over a decade of experience leading game-changing narratives, programs, and campaigns.

A thick, curved yellow arrow pointing downward with a bend at the tip.

A women's basketball team in blue and orange jerseys huddles on the court during a game or practice in an indoor gymnasium.

As a kid, I always dreamed of being a basketball star but never had the opportunity to play. Years later, I decided to challenge myself by training for a local women’s league. I discovered who I am on the court mirrored my career attributes: focused, strategic, collaborative, and a visioned playmaker.

alley-oop creative combines my love for basketball with my drive & dedication to elevating stories. Whether you’re looking to develop a dynamic messaging campaign that drives results, produce elite video content that resonates with your fans, or execute experiential projects that leave a lasting impact, I’m here for the assist.

Like the “alley-oop”, working with me will be the most exciting play in your game.

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Career Highlights

Three women (Melissa in the middle) standing outdoors in front of a billboard and holding a sign that says '[ Your poem here ]'. The background includes Miami city buildings, parked cars, and trees.

A dashed arrow curved upward, pointing to the right.

Three smiling people (Melissa on the far right), including two children in Girl Scout uniforms and a woman holding a badge, standing behind a table with Girl Scout cookies.

As a communications strategist & creative producer, I’ve been running the alley-oop for years—reading the game, trusting my collaborators, and making that key pass for the slam dunk.

As the former Communications and Marketing Director of O, Miami, I spearheaded dynamic & mission-critical messaging campaigns spotlighted in WLRN, All Things Considered, The Washington Post, Document Journal, Axios Miami, and the Miami Herald along with the conceptualization, development, and execution of dynamic video content.

I also ran point on hundreds of experiential projects in collaboration with cultural institutions such as Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, The BASS Museum of Art, Girl Scouts of Tropical South Florida, Perez Museum of Art, The Deering Estate, Books & Books, IS Projects, The Belafonte Tacolcy Center, and Miami-Dade Public Library Systems.

Elite Campaigns

Two women, one young and one older, embracing and smiling in an outdoor urban area with modern buildings and a large yellow billboard in the background.

Monumental moments are my specialty

A crowd of people waiting at a crosswalk in front of a yellow billboard and tall buildings in Miami, Florida.

In 2023, I spearheaded the development, open call, gorilla press conference, and storytelling for [ Your poem here ], a county-wide contest prompting Miamians to submit their poetry for a chance to be broadcasted on a monumental billboard in Downtown Miami.

After receiving over 1,500 submissions, O, Miami and WLRN selected local librarian Luz Rossy as the winning poet. "You don't know how much this means to me," said winner Luz Rossy. Her poem was an homage and celebration of her abuelas.

Luz’s story resonated not only with local media outlets like the Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald, but was also highlighted nationally in The Mujerista and All Things Considered.

The campaign resulted in 15 million impressions and a significant increase in new audiences across South Florida for O, Miami.

Game-Changing Narratives

Shooting your shot

Night view of a white building with blue doors and windows, a quote projected on the wall reading 'Justice is a force you use to knock on the door,' attributed to Zephaniah, 4th grade.

Sidewalk with a message written with white paint that says, "Happy making, make safe, your life is shining, and pop" and a bicycle is parked nearby.

I’ve approached my Communications career through the lens of a storyteller. With a background in Film Production, I create compelling narratives that spotlight community game-changers.

To craft the storytelling for the Opa-Locka Light District project, I scripted a strategy that highlighted the transformative power of community art and technology. By focusing on the collaboration between O, Miami and Opa-Locka Community Development Corporation (OLCDC), I showcased how locals were given a platform through poetry.

This narrative not only celebrated the creative spirit of neighborhood residents but also captured how city infrastructure can be a landscape for innovative and necessary artwork.