For everyone who knows Melissa Rieger, a vice president in Havas PR’s Pittsburgh office, it’s no surprise that she’s been named by PRWeek as a 2019 “Woman to Watch.”

We’ve been watching Melissa for 12 years now, since she arrived at Havas PR after a couple-year stint as a TV station reporter in the Johnstown/Altoona, Pennsylvania, market. From the start, Melissa has been a creative, smart, gutsy young PR professional, who never was timid about trying out many ideas to move the clients ahead. Over the years, she’s honed her skills and her sharp strategic mind. 

Thankfully, for her clients—the Gout & Uric Acid Education Society, LivaNova, MilliporeSigma and Transitions Optical—she’s been using her strengths to develop and execute award-winning campaigns and other initiatives for them. From strategy, program conception, messaging, execution, analysis and budgeting (and boy, does she love budgeting ), Melissa does it all. If you’re counting, her work has been recognized with almost 100 regional, national and international awards.

She will be honored by PRWeek alongside 27 other women on June 5 in New York City. During a half-day celebration and workshop, PRWeek will showcase the 2019 Women to Watch and tackle issues that female professionals face in the industry.