The Grounded Girl Interview Series Welcomes Melanie Devito

We are so excited to introduce our Grounded Girl for the month of June for Groundedco.

We look forward to sharing with you these amazing women in our community that are empowering and inspiring others.

I introduce to you Melanie, President of FemCity for the Boca/Delray Community. They are on a mission to help more than 1 million women around the world connect, collaborate and collectively succeed all in a safe space and community that supports and leads with positivity. It’s more than networking…it’s a community you’ve always wanted! Melanie is also a big advocate in our community for different types of non-profits and is always striving to make and or create changes for the better.

Hi! I’m MELANIE!

Groundedco: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?

Melanie: This question is always so intimidating! How do you boil down your human existence into a few sentences?  I am a native South Floridian with Argentinian, Swedish, French Canadian, Polish and Russian (and I’m sure much more) roots. I’m a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a dog mom, and a social butterfly. For much of the week I am a dance mom, a community volunteer, and a leader of a local women’s organization. I am a seasoned marketer and college-level instructor. Many in Boca know me from my previous work as marketing director of the Addison (an extraordinary Five Star Diamond awarded event venue and local landmark). I also spent 10 years at the Art Institutes marketing at the local, regional, and national levels and have experience working on the agency side in advertising and PR. I am a ‘Nole (with a bachelor’s degree in fine art), and I’m also a Panther (with a master’s degree in Integrated Communication). I am a live music lover, a foodie (with a tendency for tacos), and a movie snob. I’m also a Gemini who is about to turn 40 – and very excited about it!

Groundedco: Did you always know or feel that somehow you would be leading a group of powerhouse women and involved in our community the way you are? What’s next?

Melanie: No! …but I am here for it and so honored to just be a part of the FemCity community. It’s an organization dedicated to women who support women – providing a place to grow personally and professionally and to experience the community we live and work in. I am so lucky to have an amazing board who are so smart and dedicated and a membership base full of fiercely supportive and successful women. FemCity Boca-Delray is only what it is today because of all the leaders that came before me and because of the incredible community of women that make it. For me, the next step will be exposing the next generation to these concepts of leadership, development, empowerment, and community support. I’m not sure what that looks like yet, but it’s a priority on my radar.

Groundedco: Who has been your greatest inspiration and why?

Melanie: Without a doubt, my parents have been my greatest inspiration. They embody unconditional love, intellect, empowerment, mindfulness, and adventure. I don’t know any couple more grounded than my mother and father. They have been able to overcome many challenges in their own upbringing, nurture successful and satisfying careers, be present for their kids, provide the necessary resources for a child to thrive, accomplish some incredible personal feats (for example, my father was a third-degree black belt and my mother a black-striped, brown belt in Cuong Nhu), and foster an environment of fun, curiosity, responsibility, and love for their kids and their grandkids. They are parent-goals, grandparent-goals, and human-goals all wrapped up in one. I couldn’t be luckier to have them as my own life mentors.

Groundedco: What is your favorite way to stay active?

Melanie: I wouldn’t consider myself a natural athlete and I tend to get bored quickly. Growing up, my favorite way to stay active was through dance and kickboxing. Now, I stay active through the Faster Way program (I love it because each day is different; the workouts are only 30 minutes, and they are focused on strategic body movements to develop muscle and foster overall health). I also love doing yoga and am enjoying learning how to play golf.

Groundedco: What Is one character trait you believe every woman leader should possess?

Melanie: I think women leaders should learn to speak to themselves more kindly. Women are great at lifting those around them up …and tearing their own selves down. We suffer from imposter syndrome, get in our own way, and are extremely hard on ourselves. If we talked to ourselves the way we talked to others, I think we could accomplish so much more – in our homes, in our community, and especially in our leadership roles. My golf teacher Coach Matt said that the skill that separates the top five golfers in the world from the rest of the top ten is attitude. What happens between the golf shots (the self-talk) is as important (if not more) than the actual swing.

Groundedco: What is one or some of the biggest challenges you have had and how have you overcome them?

Melanie: In all sincerity, my biggest challenge has been to find the happy place between being an accomplished career-gal and being a good mother. Growing up in corporate America, I was taught your professional life and personal life were two separate things and in order to be good at one, you must somehow sacrifice the other (or at least not talk about it). It’s crazy to me. I think women tend to carry a lot of guilt (whether they are part of the work force or a stay-at-home mom) and I think many feel like they are never doing enough (when many times they do it all). I believe there is so much untapped potential in women in business because it can be challenging for them to find room to also include the responsibilities that come with childrearing, household management, elderly parent care etc. I don’t think it has to be so polarized. I guess my biggest challenge is, I want it all – and I’m still on my way to making that happen.

Groundedco: What are some of your favorite things about leading a group of empowering and fabulous women in our community?

Melanie: Where do I even begin! My favorite part isn’t the leading part. It’s simply being surrounded by women who I am continually inspired by and learning from. These women are superstar bosses, mothers, community leaders, and friends. They represent a very diverse set of industries, experience levels, ages, cultural backgrounds, and perspectives. No matter what kind of day / week / month it’s been, I always walk away from our events feeling invigorated and inspired. I believe women’s true strength comes from community (the pack), which is the essence of FemCity. Each woman has their own strengths, wisdom, and super powers – but together, we are all so much more.

Groundedco: If you could pick any place in the world to be and stay grounded, where would it be and why?

Melanie: As strange as it may sound, I usually feel grounded by the wind. It serves as a reminder that I am where I am, and it forces me to be present in my environment. When I imagine my happy place, it’s usually at the front of a boat, on flat ocean water, in the sunshine, and going very fast. I did a lot of that in my childhood. I also love windy nights and cool air – it could be anywhere. When life provides no wind, I ground myself in my books. I’m a self-help book junkie and have a tower of my favorites next to my bed. When I am feeling out of alignment, I get back to basics with authors such as Louise Hay, Michael Singer, Wayne Dyer, and Brene Brown.

Groundedco: As an active person & advocate in our community what advice can you give our readers that are wanting to get started and involved with helping and giving back to our community?

Melanie: There is so much need, no matter where you are and where you look. Find something you feel passionate about (whether it is the arts, children, veterans, homeless, etc.) and do a google search on nonprofit organizations in your community that are aligned with your passions and values. Reach out and ask how you can be of service. That’s what it’s all about. “How can I serve?” The rest will fall into place; I promise.

…and if you need something a little more immediate to get involved in, we are currently looking for help fundraising for a local nonprofit called Best Foot Forward. They are in need of Birthday Boxes for their 250 foster kids, so they can celebrate their birthdays too. Learn more and sponsor a box (or a few) here: BFF Birthday Boxes.