Mel Pruett is a Virginian with local, state, and national experience.

After five consecutive cycles with the Democratic Party of Virginia, I launched my own digital consulting firm — Pruett Consulting. In the past year since it’s launch, I have worked with clients ranging from advocacy organizations to political candidates and everything in between. In 2023 alone, I have sent out over two million peer-to-peer texts.

Gillibrand 2020
National Mobilization Strategist

Mel supervised a team of eight organizers across three field offices on Virginia's Peninsula, providing strategic guidance and day-to-day management to support regional field operations. Under this leadership, the team knocked on more than 99,000 doors during the campaign and helped flip two targeted legislative seats from Republican to Democratic control.

Mel served as legislative staff during the General Assembly session, supporting the Delegate through daily events, meetings, committee hearings, and other legislative responsibilities. Mel collaborated closely with the Delegate on policy development by assisting with bill drafting, tracking legislation, and monitoring committee assignments and activity. Additionally, Mel prepared daily committee agendas and provided briefings on upcoming dockets to help inform legislative strategy and decision-making.

In 2021, Mel developed and launched the peer-to-peer texting program for Terry McAuliffe's gubernatorial primary campaign, overseeing an effort that delivered 1.7 million text messages and identified more than 13,000 supporters. Peer-to-peer texting accounted for 75% of all supportive voter identifications collected during the primary campaign. Mel managed daily texting operations, wrote messaging scripts, coordinated volunteer shifts, and led weekly trainings to ensure a consistent and effective outreach program.

Following the primary, Mel joined the Democratic Party of Virginia's Coordinated Campaign to lead digital organizing efforts for the general election. In addition to overseeing statewide digital engagement, Mel recruited and managed a diverse cohort of 43 Digital Fellows, facilitating weekly professional development sessions, leading organizing calls, and supporting the growth of the campaign's digital organizing infrastructure. Throughout both roles, Mel worked closely with campaign consultants, senior leadership, and cross-functional teams to develop strategy and execute coordinated voter outreach efforts.

Mel led a competitive campaign in a targeted district, overseeing consultants, staff, and volunteers while managing day-to-day campaign operations and strategy. Under Mel’s leadership, the campaign raised nearly $50,000, including more than $4,000 in recurring contributions, with an average contribution of $131. Mel also developed and executed a digital strategy that generated more than 300,000 impressions, expanding the campaign’s reach and strengthening supporter engagement.

Outside of her professional work, Mel is a passionate advocate for accessible, affordable, and equitable health care. At age 16, Mel was diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), a form of dysautonomia. After receiving an early diagnosis and treatment, Mel became committed to raising awareness and improving resources for the millions of Americans living with POTS and related conditions.

In 2018, Mel partnered with former Governor Ralph Northam’s office to establish Dysautonomia Awareness Month in Virginia. She later worked with former Delegate Mark Keam to help draft legislation creating POTS Awareness Month, which passed both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly with bipartisan support. Since then, Mel has organized virtual roundtables, digital advocacy campaigns, and social media initiatives to elevate the experiences of Virginians living with POTS. Her first awareness campaign generated more than 100,000 impressions in its first day.

Mel also organized a POTS Advocacy Day, connecting patients with policymakers and providing an opportunity for individuals with lived experience to share their stories directly with elected officials, including Senator Mark Warner, Senator Tim Kaine, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, Congressman Rob Wittman, Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton, and others. In addition to her POTS advocacy work, Mel has continued to support health care-focused organizations and initiatives through strategic consulting, event support, and digital advocacy.

Based at campaign headquarters, Mel directed day-to-day national digital organizing efforts, overseeing volunteer engagement and organizing strategy across the country. Mel built and managed a national network of more than 100 digital volunteer leaders, helping expand grassroots capacity and support coordinated organizing efforts at scale.

Democratic Party of Virginia
Political Organizing Director

Bloomberg for President
Digital Director

Session Aide
Virginia House of Delegates

Terry McAuliffe for Governor &
Democratic Party of Virginia
Digital

Campaign Manager
Amanda Pohl for Congress

During the 2020 primary, Mel joined Senator Mark Warner’s campaign as Deputy Digital Director then became Online Communities Digital Director for Biden-Haris 2020. Mel built and managed Virginia's online virtual field office, creating an accessible volunteer engagement model that was later adopted by the Democratic National Committee. In addition to developing SMS campaigns and social media strategies that generated more than 288,000 impressions, Mel produced rapid-response digital content during major national events for endorsers, donors, and campaign staff. Mel also collected, edited, and published more than 145 Soapboxx videos, amplifying personal stories from activists and supporters to strengthen the campaign's message and connect with audiences in authentic ways.