Gesing, Melissa
Biography
Melissa Gesign grew up in Fredericksburg, Iowa and graduated from Simpson College in 2001. She began her work as a Republican activist in college, working for the Elizabeth Dole for President campaign and helping to organize central Iowa for the 1999 Iowa Straw Poll. She has also worked for Victory Enterprises, a political consulting firm based out of Davenport, and Campaign Headquarters, a conservative call center in Brooklyn, Iowa. When not working in politics, Gesing has worked as a manager for Target Optical stores. Gesing has also worked as a volunteer for many community organizations, including the Iowa Federation of Republican Women, Scott County Republican Women, and the Junior League of Des Moines. Gesing also served on the board of 50/50 in 2020, an organization dedicated to equalizing gender representation in Iowa's elected offices. From 2018-2020, Gesing was also executive director of 50/50 in 2020. She was also one of the interviewers for the Hard Won, Not Done oral history of Iowa Women legislators (IWA 1278), which was organized by members of the 50/50 in 2020 board.
Found in 6 Collections and/or Records:
Audio recording, February 18, 2020
Audio recording of an interview with Iowa state legislator Jennifer Konfrst about her legislative service and the role of gender in politics, including a brief discussion of the need for legislation allowing women to use campaign funds for child care.
Audio recording, February 17, 2020
Audio recording of an interview with Iowa state legislator and lieutenant governor Jo Ann Zimmerman about her public service, the women's legislative caucus, and sexism she experienced in her career.
Transcript, February 18, 2020
Transcript of an interview with Iowa state legislator Jennifer Konfrst about her legislative service and the role of gender in politics, including a brief discussion of the need for legislation allowing women to use campaign funds for child care.
Transcript, February 17, 2020
Transcript of an interview with Iowa state legislator and lieutenant governor Jo Ann Zimmerman about her public service, the women's legislative caucus, and sexism she experienced in her career.
Additional filters:
- Subject
- Democratic Party (Iowa) 4
- Legislators 4
- Women politicians--Iowa 4
- Campaign funds 2
- Dallas County (Iowa) 2
- Des Moines (Iowa) 2
- Educational law and legislation 2
- Iowa. General Assembly. House of Representatives--Minority leaders 2
- Lieutenant governors 2
- Living wills 2
- Partisanship 2
- Political campaigns 2
- Polk County (Iowa) 2
- School board members 2
- Sex crimes -- Law and legislation 2
- Sexism in political culture 2
- Waukee (Iowa) 2 + ∧ less