Melissa Mae has won numerous awards for acting and stage design both in New Zealand and in the United States of America. However, she chose a career in the health and mental health sector and after twenty rewarding years resigned to attend film school in New Zealand and actively pursue film and television producing full-time. 

Now eleven years on, Melissa is an independent producer/ line producer and director with a bucket full of learnings and accomplishments in film & television. Her key strengths lie in an aptitude for quickly gaining an understanding of complex processes and providing innovative solutions, along with high-level proficiency in logistics, operations and planning and a keen understanding of people with an ability to bring the best from them and for them. Melissa is also the National Communications Advisor for CCS Disability Action, managing the communications, branding and media for this large organisation throughout New Zealand. Melissa has continued to be active in local theatre as a director, actor, set designer and stage manager and held a seat on various committees for 16th Avenue Theatre Company in Tauranga. Melissa has produced, production managed and directed multiple television series for broadcast and on-demand, short films, documentaries, corporate video, communication and marketing content for the private and public sector and live theatre productions including: