Melissa Palarea
About Melissa Palarea
Melissa Palarea is the Director of Diversity and Inclusion at the National Basketball Association (NBA) in New York, New York, with a background in internal communications and public affairs.
Title and Role at the NBA
Melissa Palarea holds the position of Director of Diversity and Inclusion at the National Basketball Association (NBA). She has been in this role since 2016 in New York, New York, United States. Her responsibilities involve overseeing diversity initiatives and ensuring inclusive practices within the organization.
Previous Roles at the NBA
Before her current role, Melissa Palarea served as the Associate Director of Internal Communications at the NBA from 2008 to 2016. She was based in New York, New York, United States during this period. Her responsibilities included managing internal communications strategies and initiatives across the organization.
Experience at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
Melissa Palarea worked at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP as a Public Affairs Manager from 2004 to 2007 in New York, New York, United States. Prior to this role, she was a Human Resources Specialist at the same firm from 2003 to 2004. These roles provided her with significant experience in public relations and human resources.
Early Career at Americans for the Arts
Melissa Palarea began her career at Americans for the Arts, serving as the Manager of the Office of the President from 1999 to 2002. She was based in Washington, District of Columbia, United States. In this role, she supported the president's office and contributed to organizational initiatives.
Educational Background
Melissa Palarea studied at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. She attended UCLA from 1993 to 1997. Her educational background in communications has been foundational to her roles in public affairs, internal communications, and diversity and inclusion.