Melissa Bright is the Economic Development Officer at the Adelaide Hills Council. Melissa commenced her role with Council in December 2015 and is responsible for delivering the Council’s Economic Development Strategy.

Recognising the importance for the Hills region to have a strong, diverse and sustainable economy, Melissa works with local business to understand local issues, provide networking opportunities, coordinate local economic development efforts and provide advocacy to other levels of government to enable projects and investments that will benefit the region’s economy.

Melissa has an Honours degree in Economics and spent the first part of her career in the South Australian State Government. This is her first role in the Local Government sector, prior to which Melissa worked for the Department of Premier and Cabinet where she was responsible for coordinating and delivering one of the Premier’s key Economic Priorities – the best place to do business and was the key author of the State’s submission into the Productivity Commission’s national automotive industry inquiry. Prior to this Melissa worked for nearly 10 years in Primary Industries and Resources SA where she built on her rural background to develop and enhance her knowledge and skills in regional and agribusiness development.

Melissa is loving the opportunity to work more directly with the region’s business community and is unashamedly biased about the region’s exceptional potential for economic development.