Melissa Steep

Art director

What is your job description at LO?

I am the art director, working within the communications department. I spend my time helping LO staff and members achieve their visual communication goals through print and web initiatives.
 

What is your background before coming to LO, and when did you begin work at LO?

While going to Mohawk College in Hamilton for advertising and communications media, I worked for the college in various roles, which ranged from advertising sales to event promotions. After graduation, I stayed on in the student life department as an office manager. I enjoyed my time there, which allowed me to learn and develop new skills that serve me well today.

After that, I spent some time working for Standardbred Canada, the Canadian harness horse racing association. I learned a lot about horses and how to bet (don’t ask how to win, because it never got me more than $2.10). The people there were very friendly and helpful in teaching me about horses and the love of the Standardbred breed.

During this time, I also began my own design and marketing company, Break Left Media. I still continue consulting and developing communication/design strategy for small businesses and not-for-profit organizations. I have met a lot of nice people — the entrepreneurial energy is very inspirational.

I have worked at LO for three years. Don’t worry if you haven’t met me, I am mostly behind the scenes, hiding upstairs in a cube.
 

When not at work, where can you be found?

Watching comedies with my significant other, in my home office working on Break Left projects, playing with my Pomeranian puppy, taking pictures of nature, reading one of the many non-fiction books I’ve been meaning to get to, and spending time with friends and family.
 

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

To be a part of Sharon, Lois and Bram. Skinnamarink.
 

What inspires you during your time at LO?

Interacting with the many personalities of our staff and members, and seeing the excitement around a meeting table when we have hit an insight about our communications. That is what motivates me each year to come up with new and better ideas.
 

Name your all-time favourite movie, musical group and TV show.

This is a hard one, because it keeps changing. Since I am usually strictly all about comedies — I can’t pick one, it would be unfair. I would say my favourite true story movie would be Into the Wild. The book was good too; Jon Krakauer never disappoints.

My favourite musician would have to be Neil Young. Mostly, because I couldn’t stand his voice up until about six years ago, when I learned to appreciate it and dig his original sound. Yeah Canada!

I am sad that it went off the air before I was able to be a die-hard fan, but Arrested Development is the most witty, ingenious and unexpected comedy show I have ever seen. Thanks to Netflix, I am now caught up on all three seasons.
 

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

New Zealand. I’ve heard they have mountains like the Rockies and tropics like the Caribbean.
 

Tell us one thing about you that few of your colleagues know about you.

I have a snow globe collection. People have brought back globes from all over the world for me. Among the 26 watery wonders, Sweden, Norway, Bulgaria and Cleveland are my favourites!