Melissa Simpson is Co-Founder and the Executive Director of Film Impact Georgia, a nonprofit dedicated to helping uplift the voices of those making independent films in Georgia. She was born and raised just north of Atlanta and has a BS in Film & Digital Media from the University of North Georgia.

Melissa was a founding director of the Georgia Film Festival, has worked as the Creative Director for TERMINUS Conference + Festival, and has worked in many different roles for film festivals across Georgia, including the Atlanta Film Festival, Rome International Film Festival, the WIFTA Short Film Showcase, and the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. She also spent two years working with film festivals and indie filmmakers across the world at Eventive, a virtual streaming platform for independent film.

In her spare time, she is involved in many organizations in the Georgia film community and works as a producer on independent projects. Melissa also has a house full of rescue animals and won a hula hoop contest when she was eight.