Melissa Thomson

Background

About Melissa Thomson

Mel Thomson is Valley Metro’s Risk Manager in Phoenix, Arizona. She is developing a new risk management department involving both traditional risk and Enterprise Risk Management. As a risk advisor and facilitator, Mel is designing Valley Metro’s new ERM program to engage executive leaders through the ERM process. Leaders and staff actively engage in identifying, assessing, treating, and monitoring their risks across the organization. She places special emphasis on anchoring risk appetite to strategic planning. By implementing an ERM framework, aligning principles, and creating risk processes, leaders are provided with tools to make risk-informed decisions which yield long-term organizational resilience. Mel began in the benefits consulting arena and later transitioned into property and casualty at the State of Arizona’s Department of Administration in the Risk Management Division. She was the Risk Administrator for the City of Maricopa where she designed and implement a new risk division. Mel served at the City of Phoenix's Risk Management Division and built an ERM program starting in three large departments. Mel has been the Education Chair for Arizona Public Risk Management Association's Board (AZPRIMA) and currently chairs the State & Local Outreach Committee for the Association of Federal Enterprise Risk Management (AFERM). In 2023, she received AFERM’s 2024 Volunteer of the Year Award and PRIMA’s Enterprise Risk Management Award. She has a Masters in Administration from Northern Arizona University, Associate in Risk Management (ARM) and has her Chief Risk Officer designation from George Mason University. She is an Enterprise Risk Management Certified Professional (ERMCP). Mel completed her master’s certificate in Enterprise Risk Management at York University, Schulich College of Business in Toronto, Canada. She earned her Certified Risk Management Professional Certification (CRMP-FED) through RIMS. She volunteers to facilitate AFERM's ERM Book Club discussing ERM principles and sharing ideas and best practices with other risk professionals.