2024 20 in their Twenties: Taylor Melangton

Event and Communications Manager | Visit Indy

Age: 29

Hometown: Indianapolis

Education: bachelor’s in studio art/drawing, Ball State University

Family: husband, Cameron; son, Samuel; dog, Winnie

Years with organization: 2-1/2

First job: server, Primo Banquet Hall

Givebacks: board member/programs and education director, International Live Events Association Indiana chapter; member, Education Committee, Meeting Professionals International Indiana Chapter; founding member, Women’s Initiative for Self Empowerment

Something surprising: Growing up, she was terrified of mascots. “Now, being involved in sports, I am always around them—facing my fears.”

Coffee order: either a white chocolate mocha or a vanilla latte

As Visit Indy’s event and communication manager, Taylor Melangton creates and coordinates stakeholder events such as the ROSE Awards, State of Tourism, Hotel Symposium and many of Visit Indy’s year-round customer activations and trade shows. She also plans, executes and curates events for visiting VIPs to influence meeting decision-makers to book major conventions and events in Indianapolis. Melangton went to school expecting to be an athletic trainer for a professional sports team, but senior year decided that, while she loved sporting events, she didn’t enjoy the medical side. That realization led her to hospitality and tourism. She started at the Indianapolis Zoo, planning fundraising events such as Zoobilation and Zoolala, then went to the NBA All-Star Game staff. When the 2021 game was postponed due to COVID, she was hired by the College Football Playoff staff, where she helped plan and execute various parts of the event the city hosted in 2022. She joined Visit Indy after that. This year, the 32nd annual ROSE Awards, which she coordinated, won the Event of the Year award from the Meeting Professionals International Indiana Chapter. “This event has been something that Visit Indy has had for many years,” she said. “One thing I was told is that it could be improved each year and to continue to find new and innovative ways to make positive changes to make the event unique each year.”•

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