Melissa Jun Rowley is the founder of the Climate Mic Drop Summit, a first-of-its-kind gathering dedicated to harnessing the power of storytelling to accelerate climate justice. Designed as a participatory, cross-sector experience, the summit convenes frontline activists, Indigenous leaders, artists, innovators, and strategists to explore how narratives shape action, policy, and imagination in a rapidly changing world.

She is also the author of the forthcoming book Beyond the Mic Drop: How Our Stories Can Shift Culture, Power & Policy, which builds on her two decades of experience as a journalist, strategist, and storyteller working at the intersection of social innovation, media, and climate.

A former CNN and Associated Press Television News producer and BBC News contributor, Melissa has reported from conflict regions, startup hubs across Africa, and U.S. battlegrounds over free expression—bringing visibility to underreported stories that challenge dominant narratives and spark action. She has written for Reuters, CBS News, The Guardian, Fast Company, TechCrunch, Forbes, National Geographic, and currently pens a column for Rolling Stoneexploring the convergence of climate justice, culture, and storytelling.

Melissa is a sought-after international speaker who has taken the stage at Davos, SXSW, Web Summit, the UN Climate Conference (COP), New York Climate Week, LA Climate Week, San Francisco Climate Week, DC Climate Week, the Hollywood Climate Summit, the Climate Leadership Conference, Sundance Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival, and the United Nations General Assembly. Her talks spotlight the power of story—not just data—to move policy, bridge divides, and build coalitions for systemic change.

As the founder and CEO of Warrior Love Productions, she has designed communications strategies and campaigns to accelerate decarbonization, advance gender equity, and drive environmental justice. She has advised the UN Climate Change Global Innovation Hub, the World Bank, Cisco, KPMG, MasterCard, William Morris Endeavor, and a range of scale-ups and nonprofits.

Currently, Melissa leads communications for REVERB, the leading nonprofit greening the music industry. Partnering with artists including Billie Eilish, FINNEAS, Harry Styles, Dave Matthews Band, Dead & Co, Jack Johnson, and Lorde, she helps decarbonize live shows, make tours more sustainable, and mobilize millions of fans in climate and social justice.

Previously, she co-founded The Toolbox with legendary musician and activist Peter Gabriel—a humanitarian platform providing mentorship and digital tools for social entrepreneurs in developing economies. While living across the UK, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Middle East and North Africa, she chronicled women founders for ForbesWomen, highlighting the lessons the U.S. can learn from their ingenuity and resilience.

Melissa is an advisor to Women and Climate and Creatives for Climate, a UN Media for Impact Award recipient, and a Founder Institute alum. At her core, she believes storytelling is not only an art, but an act of faith in humanity, solidarity, and system-shifting truth.