Melanie Neff

I’ve been a writer for most of my life, starting in PR with the LA Clippers while in college at USC, before moving into journalism at USA Today. I covered everything from the LA riots and LA Raiders to flash floods and red carpet movie premieres—basically, the usual glamorous stuff. Later, at The Los Angeles Times, I spent more than a decade covering college, professional and high school sports. I kept my NBA ties strong by working in PR for their summer league and writing for NBA.com. I also spent 9 unforgettable New Year's Days working in the press box for Rose Bowl games. When the newspaper industry started crumbling, I transitioned into covering commercial real estate—until the recession came along and crashed that party too. (Honestly, that was probably a blessing. Writing about cap rates, capital stacks, bridge loans, and mezzanine loans was giving me a serious case of brain fog.) Enter Avery, swooping in to save the day. Now, I’ve been with Avery for almost 15 years, where I’ve been able to put my writing experience to use in new ways. I write website content, marketing emails, and blog posts—basically, all the words that help businesses and consumers figure out how to label their stuff. When I’m not glued to a screen, I’m out exploring the desert landscapes around Las Vegas—whether it’s hiking (walking) through Red Rock Canyon, cooling off at Mt. Charleston, or making the trek to Area 51 (because who doesn’t love a good conspiracy?). I avoid the Strip unless there’s a rock band I can’t miss or I have friends in town. At home, I enjoy cooking, playing with my furry friends and figuring out how to garden in the desert (spoiler: it’s a lot harder than it sounds).