Hi! I’m Melissa Jane Ung, born and raised in Reno, Nevada, aka the Biggest Little City in the World.
I’m a proud two-time University of Nevada, Reno alumna, where I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, with emphases in strategic communications and news and a minor in psychology, as well as a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in entrepreneurship. Together, those experiences have allowed me to blend my love of storytelling and creativity with a strong foundation in business, marketing and strategic communications.
I’m passionate about bringing people together through events, storytelling and creative content. Whether I’m checking out a new restaurant, highlighting a local event, sharing hidden gems around Reno-Tahoe or capturing unforgettable moments, I love helping people discover and appreciate the community I’m lucky to call home.
My day jobs are pretty iconic…I’m the Event Coordinator for The Great Reno Balloon Race and the Programs & Events Manager for the Reno Rodeo Foundation. Getting to help create experiences that bring thousands of people together is something I never take for granted.
And because I apparently needed another thing to do, I’m currently training to become a Tremble instructor! Tremble has been part of my routine for a while, so getting to challenge myself in a completely different way and work toward teaching has been such a fun next step.
I also love giving back and staying involved in my community, whether I’m supporting STEP2, volunteering with another local nonprofit or somehow finding myself involved in another event (I really don’t know how to not be busy).
One of my favorite creative projects is Like Cat & Mel, a sister lifestyle blog my sister and I created for fun. It’s our little corner of the internet where we share local adventures, food & lifestyle inspiration, sisterhood moments and whatever shenanigans we get into.
When I’m not working, creating content or shaking at Tremble, you can probably find me at a concert (or another event), trying a new restaurant, signing up for another race to see if I can beat past me, hanging out with the people I love or saying yes to just about any adventure.
