Meet TruPerception’s Message Maven

About Melissa DeLay

Change Your Perception on Corporate Communication

Melissa DeLay is a speaker, author, and award-winning founder and principal owner of TruPerception.

With more than two decades of strategic and corporate communication experience–including consulting for entities such as Ameriprise Financial and the state of Minnesota, as well as holding senior positions with 3M, Carlson Companies, Maytag, and AmeriPride–she knows how to deliver the right words, in the right way to drive change, manage crises, boost engagement, and build a stronger brand.

She also brings her approach to corporate communication on a national scale by speaking at events and workshops. Her recent engagements include keynotes and workshops for IIBA Minneapolis | St Paul, IIBA Heartland Chapter, the City of Minneapolis, CIOX Health, the National Public Employer Labor Relations Association, Carlson School of Management Women’s Leadership Conference, SHRM Inclusion 2019, CenterPoint Energy and Andersen Windows.

Her first book, The Truth About Scandal: The Everyday Guide to Navigating Business Crises, details her years of firsthand experience coaching and consulting professionals through some of the toughest communications issues facing modern leaders today.

Awards & Recognition

  • Author of The Truth about Scandal: The Everyday Guide to Navigating Business Crises
  • Named one of the best business books for entrepreneurs for 2019 by Upjourney.com
  • Minnesota Business magazine’s The (Real) Power 50 (2017)
  • Featured in the Star Tribune and on local CBS and NBC news
  • National appearances in Inc., Business Insider, MSN

Our Expertise

  • Senior corporate positions at 3M, Carlson Companies, Maytag and AmeriPride
  • Coaching and consulting experience with dozens of companies including Ameriprise Financial and the State of Minnesota
  • Experienced speaker and workshop presenter. Engagements include keynotes for the City of Minneapolis and RE/MAX Results; and workshops for the National Public Employer Labor Relations Association (Charleston, South Carolina), Centerpoint Energy and Andersen Windows

Melissa earned a M.A. in Organizational Communication from the University of Arkansas and a Mini Master of Business Communication from the University of St. Thomas. An Iowa native, where everyone tells it like it is, Melissa currently resides in the Twin Cities area and is the mother of two charming, money-back-guaranteed kids (the sweetest kids in the world). Melissa is an avid distance runner, 12-time marathoner and a self-proclaimed grillmaster. She also enjoys donating her time and talents to philanthropic efforts and was a National Association of Women Business Owners board member.