# @princetonspia on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/ChC1gWGOg07
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/20742134-princetonspia-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/thumbnails/45235a6044.jpg
- **Posted:** 2022-08-09T15:47:32.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Princeton SPIA (@princetonspia) — https://gondola.cc/princetonspia

## Caption

#Changemakers: Meet Melissa Parnagian ’17

Q. What’s your current position?

As manager of growth strategies for social impact and legislative affairs, my job at the NHL involves launching and amplifying projects that make the league, its players, and its fans more connected to social issues on and off the ice. Hockey may not be a sport that has historically been known for social advocacy, but so many NHL players want to advocate for causes like racial justice, gender equality, voting rights, and environmentalism. They’re simply looking for an authentic pathway to get involved.

Q. How did your time at SPIA prepare you for your current work?

When I tell people I work for the NHL, they often ask why I left the policy world for sports. But the platform of professional sports — the people it can reach, the messages it can send — has incredible potential to accelerate the positive changes policymakers want to see. SPIA gave me the strategic foundation to understand how to build and implement meaningful social impact initiatives — from properly identifying the problem to appropriately measuring intended results. I also focused heavily on political communications as a tool to make good policies feel relevant to local communities and, by extension, to help those policies gain a foothold through demonstrated public support. My current role often requires those same communication skills.

Q. What policy issue is most on your mind?

As the daughter of a Black mother and an Italian-Armenian father, I’m often confronted with experiences that stress the importance of fighting for racial justice. The past few years have generated serious momentum for American society to grapple with its legacy and address the many lingering effects of historical disadvantage. It’s up to us to ensure the momentum continues in earnest. It’s never lost on me that I’m a Black woman in a predominantly white male sport. It’s always been a priority for me to empower our Black players and fans, guide white players and fans in demonstrating allyship, and create opportunities for more diverse children to access the benefits that hockey can provide.

#PrincetonAlumni #SPIAalumni #AlumniFeature

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## Tags

changemakers, alumnifeature, princetonalumni, spiaalumni

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