Who I am. 

Hello. My name is Melinda and I am the owner and operator of Zoomediate, a virtual assistant company. I am an American writer, animal expert and virtual assistant, currently (and happily!) making my home in Germany. I have a deep love of giant breed dogs, delicious food and traveling. When I'm not busy working with clients, writing or eating I enjoy spending time with my family and exploring new places.

Why I've Created Zoomediate.

The idea for Zoomediate began a few years ago as most ideas begin: more of an inkling of an idea, than an actual idea itself. I wanted to take my varied background of customer service, management and animal care and use my skills in a way that could directly impact people's lives. I also wanted a more flexible work environment and more control over the future of my career development. I had no idea how I was going to do all of these things, but I knew the answer must be out there.

One day I came across the idea of a virtual assistant. I knew that this could be what I had been searching for, and so I spent time researching the idea. After careful consideration, I took the plunge and created Zoomediate.

What About The Name?

Once the business was created, I knew I needed to find a unique name. I wanted something to symbolize my years spent working with animals and my second professional passion: working with people. When I settled on Zoomediate, I knew I had found the name I was searching for. "Zoo" was taken to mean animal, while "mediate" was taken to encompass my ability to act as a mediator (a go-between, if you will) between people and their goals. When I put the two together (and added a giraffe) Zoomediate was born!

My Qualifications. 

  • Master of Science in Biodiversity, Wildlife & Ecosystem Health from the University of Edinburgh (in progress: graduation 2022)

  • Bachelor of Zoology and International Studies from North Dakota State University

  • 15+ years working in direct animal care of both domestic and exotic species

  • 15+ years working with people: guests, clients, customers, employees & pet owners

  • Extensive management and customer service experience

Some of my Virtual Assistant Projects: 

  • Editing scientific articles (copy & substantive editing) in life sciences, pharmaceutical research and similar fields

  • Translations: German to English

  • Creation of marketing material for large corporate network

  • Content curation (including Wordpress uploading) for large corporation

  • Creation of welcome package & city guide for seminar attendees

  • Internet research for vacation and party planning

     

How I Can Support Animal Professionals

Although my client base varies, my unique experiences working as an animal professional allow me to provide fellow animal people and professionals with an assistant who understands what it means to work in this demanding, exciting field. Whether it's writing copy for a website, creating blog posts, organizing your client database or helping you stay on top of animal industry trends, you can rest assured that your work is being done by someone who has walked in your shoes and lived to tell about it.