WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, Campaigns & Elections magazine named DSPolitical’s Vice President of Business Development Melissa Cressey a 2015 ‘Rising Star’ — one of only ten Democrats to receive the honor.

As Vice President of Business Development for America’s leading data-driven digital ad network for Democrats and progressives, Cressey works tirelessly everyday to provide the best voter-file targeted digital ad campaigns for Democratic candidates and causes. Melissa has become an expert in digital advertising field, educating herself on the latest innovations in political technology and working with Team DSP to incorporate the latest digital advertising strategies to further the Progressive agenda.

“Melissa Cressey has been a stand out in the campaign world, so we knew we made the right decision adding her to our team, every day she strives to be the best at what she does and this honor shows she has done just that,” said a DSPolitical spokesperson.

“I nominated Melissa as a Rising Star because of her relentless hard work on behalf of her clients.  She is so passionate about helping her clients figure out what it takes to win and then provide it.  This has been the reason for her fast rise to the senior leadership level, not just at DSPolitical, but in the digital advertising space.” – Chris Massicotte, Partner & COO.

Melissa Cressey joined DSPolitical in February 2014 and serves as the Vice President of Business Development. She got her political consultant itch when she served as the Development Director and Conference Coordinator for the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) running the AAPC Pollie Awards and Conference for two consecutive years.

Earlier work includes; Development Planner at Appleseed Foundation, where she managed and directed the day-to-day work within the development department, and Vice President of Customer Services at Advocacy Data, where she specialized in email targeting for progressive campaigns and organizations.

She is originally from Arizona but spent most of her childhood growing up in northern Sweden with snow, reindeers and hockey. That gave her opportunity to take advantage of Sweden’s free education system and she got her B.A. in Political Science focusing on American Politics and the European Union with a minor in Economics and Civil Law at Karlstad University.

When she’s not trying to make the world a better place at work she can be found watching sports, especially her beloved Capitals or her neighbors the Nationals.

Melissa is a former board member of the Swedish Women’s Educational Association (SWEA) and an active member of the AAPC serving on multiple committees, International Association of Political Consultants (IAPC) and Swedish American Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals (SACC-YP).

Since 1988, Campaigns & Elections has recognized the up-and-comers of the campaign world with its coveted ‘Rising Star’ award. Over the years, recipients have climbed to the heights of politics, launching dozens of successful consulting firms and serving at the highest levels of state and federal campaigns. It’s one of the most prestigious honors in the campaign world for a reason: industry giants are counted among the ranks of former ‘Rising Stars.’ For example, ‘Rising Stars’ have served in senior positions on the presidential campaigns of every major party nominee for president since 1992.

About DSPolitical

DSPolitical is America’s leading voter targeted digital/online ad network having delivered several billion voter targeted digital ads online and millions more on social media and mobile phones and tablets. Because of the ad targeting technology pioneered and perfected by DSPolitical, scores of candidates can now reach the exact right voters they need to win. A demonstration of its commitment to innovation, DSPolitical works tirelessly to create and unearth new techniques that provide clients with the technological advantage they need to win.