Meet Melissa

Melissa Gesing is the owner of Red Goose Solutions, L.L.C.

Melissa grew up in Fredericksburg, Iowa, and graduated from Fredericksburg High School. She attended Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa. Melissa was a reporter for The Simpsonian newspaper, played percussion in the concert band, and served as Chair of the Simpson College Republicans. Her proudest achievement during her college years was working for Elizabeth Dole for President and organizing central Iowa for her campaign leading up to the historic Iowa Straw Poll in Ames during the summer of 1999.

Following her graduation from Simpson College in 2001, Melissa worked on various campaigns ranging from U.S. House to Governor; for the Republican Party of Iowa; for Victory Enterprises, a political consulting and marketing firm based in Davenport, Iowa; and at Campaign Headquarters, a conservative call center in Brooklyn, Iowa. When not working in politics full time, Melissa managed Target Optical stores in Davenport and Urbandale, Iowa. 

Melissa has volunteered for the American Red Cross of the Quad Cities Area; Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce; Junior League of the Quad Cities; Poweshiek County Economic Development Visioning Board; Relay for Life of Poweshiek County; and OneSight, a nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating the global vision care crisis. Melissa also volunteered her time in various roles for the Iowa Federation of Republican Women, Scott County Republican Women, and Scott County Republicans. She served as a faculty member in residence for Iowa N.E.W. Leadership at the University of Iowa in May 2016. Most recently, Melissa served as a volunteer receptionist at InnerVisions HealthCare, Parish Relations Committee Chair on the Basilica of St. John parish council, Financial Vice President of the Junior League of Des Moines, and as a member of the Scott County Compensation Board.

Melissa served on the Board of Directors of 50-50 in 2020 – a 501c3 non-profit, non-partisan, issue-neutral organization dedicated to achieving political equity for women in Iowa – from November 2016 through September 2018. She became 50-50 in 2020’s Executive Director in October 2018 and continued in that role through the organization’s conclusion in January 2020. 

Melissa founded Red Goose Solutions L.L.C. in September 2018. In addition to 50-50 in 2020, the consulting firm’s clients have included Iowa’s 19th Amendment Centennial Commemoration Committee, Business and Professional Women of Iowa, and the League of Women Voters of Iowa, among others.

Melissa lives in Davenport, Iowa, with her two rescue dogs: puggle Percy and corgi/chihuahua Gemma. In her spare time, Melissa enjoys traveling, participating in multiple book clubs, spending time with her nephew and five nieces, and fundraising and advocating for Parkinson’s disease research.