Melissa Jun Rowley is the founder of Climate Mic Drop™, 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, activist, and founder 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 Stone exploring 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 serves as the Director of Communications at REVERB, which funds local and national environmental initiatives, and partners with leading artists such as Billie Eilish, FINNEAS, Dave Matthews Band, Dead & Co, Jack Johnson, and Lorde, to decarbonize live shows and mobilize millions of fans around climate and social action.

Previously, she co-founded the humanitarian tech platform, The Toolbox, with legendary musician and activist Peter Gabriel to provide 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 currently an advisor to Women and Climate and Creatives for Climate.

Some of her awards and honors include

• 2019 - Visionary Award from the Business Council for New American for her work supporting refugees

• 2018 - 20 Women Entrepreneurs Worth Watching, Inc.

• 2017 - United Nations Media for Social Impact Award

• 2016 - Top 100 Women Blazing a Trail in Tech, BusinessCloud

• 2016 - Virgin Unite Disruptor

At her core, Melissa believes that storytelling is not only an art, but an act of faith in humanity, solidarity, and system-shifting truth.