#004: A Changed Perspective After Battling Cancer

 Melissa Stern talks about two big plot twists that have happened in her life. First, during the pandemic, Melissa was diagnosed with cancer. Then, after that, she decided to make a big career change. 

 Melissa is currently the Director of Corporate Communications at AAHOA  (Asian American Hotel Owners Association). AAHOA is the largest hotel  owner’s association in the nation. The nearly 20,000 AAHOA members own  60 percent of the hotels in the United States.

Melissa is from Palm Beach  Gardens, Florida, and graduated from the University of Florida in 2011. She  was a news reporter for ten years before making the switch to corporate communications. As a news reporter, she helped get a lawsuit dropped, met  countless celebrities and politicians, and helped make positive change  in my community. Now, in the corporate communications world, she does  internal and external communications for the association, and helps hotel  owners and hospitality industry professionals tell their stories. 

Melissa was  diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020 – just a couple weeks before the  world shut down due to COVID! After months of chemo, a double  mastectomy, and radiation, she can call herself a survivor. She was very  public about her diagnosis and even did a story for the news station she was working for at the time. 

Melissa is now on the Board of Directors for Team Maggie’s Dream, which helps young cancer patients pay for fertility  preservation.

She is also a Yelp Elite and spends a lot of time reviewing  restaurants and other businesses. She was nominated as one of “18 under  40” young professionals in Kansas City for the work she did in the  community while working there. 

She got married in March of 2022 to Jordan  Rosenbaum. They  were dating all through her chemo treatments. Melissa and Jordan love to travel (she's  been to 18 countries) and try new restaurants. They both love spending  time with their families and nieces and nephews. Melissa would say her most  proud job is being the best Aunt!  

Team Maggies Dream: https://www.teammaggiesdream.org/

News story while at CBS46: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3WvI3CAxSM

Melissa's favorite quote:  “The greatest thing you'll ever learn is to love and be loved in return.” 

Melissa's tips on making a big change: 

- Apply for that job. 

-Network. 

-Do your homework. 

-Never let anyone tell you  no. 

-The hardest part of making a big change is getting over the fear of  the unknown. It’s difficult to leave a comfortable situation, it’s  difficult to leave what you know.

- They say the grass isn’t always  greener on the other side, but sometimes, it really is.