Melissa Russell

Melissa Russell serves as the National Director of Development for International Justice Mission. IJM is a human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. IJM lawyers, investigators and aftercare professionals work with local governments to ensure victim rescue, to prosecute perpetrators and to promote functioning public justice systems. 

In her role as National Director of Development, Melissa provides leadership for major fundraising initiatives, and oversees the Directors of Development working across the country sharing about justice work and IJM’s mission. Ms. Russell travels internationally to visit the work in the field and has witnessed first-hand the life-changing impact of IJM’s work in Guatemala, the Philippines and Cambodia. She previously served as the Director of Development in Texas, and worked throughout Texas to educate people about the work of IJM and provide opportunities for engagement in the work of justice. 

Prior to joining IJM, Ms. Russell served as Associate Director of Development at The University of Texas at Austin, where she worked with donors around the country in funding research and student initiatives. Before joining the non-profit sector, Ms. Russell worked for KPMG as the Austin Director of Marketing, where she handled marketing, new business development and strategic alliances. Ms. Russell received a B.A. in journalism and a master’s degree in advertising from The University of Texas at Austin. 

She and her husband, Paul, are based out of the Washington, D.C. area, and have two children.