Connect with Our Team
Melanie S. Griffin, Esq., Founder
Melanie is a triple-graduate of The Florida State University (Business Finance, 2003; MBA, 2006; JD, 2006). Her entrepreneurial skills were honed for thirteen years at a prominent Florida corporate law firm where she served as a law clerk and then attorney from 2006-19, the last five years of which she was an Equity Shareholder and the Managing Partner of the Tampa Office. In 2019, Melanie joined Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP, an Am Law 200 firm that is the largest law firm in Tampa Bay, Of Counsel and Shumaker Advisors Florida as Senior Advisor, Business-to-Business Relationships. Her fourteen-year legal practice has focused on Business Litigation and Employment Law.
During her legal career, Melanie has served as the 2011-12 President of the Central Florida Association for Women Lawyers (CFAWL), then the largest women lawyers organization in the State that won the Chapter of the Year Award at the end of her presidency. In 2013-14, she served as President of The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division, one of the largest young lawyers divisions in the country with approximately 26,000 members. In 2021-22, she will serve as President of the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers (HAWL).
As a result of her skillsets and leadership, Melanie has been an AV-rated attorney since 2010 and honored by Super Lawyers for the past twelve consecutive years, Florida Trend Legal Elite for ten years, and Best Lawyers in America for six consecutive years. She has also been recognized as Florida’s Most Productive Young Lawyer (2009), a TBBJ BusinessWoman of the Year Legal Services Finalist (2016), an FSU Notable Nole (2016), and with the FSU College of Business Recent Alumni Achievement Award (2017), Florida Bar YLD Outstanding Woman Lawyer of Achievement Award (2018), Florida Bar SSFS Mentor of the Year Award (2019), and FSU College of Law Alumni Association Service Award (2020). Further, in 2019, Melanie was one of fifty attorneys in the US and Canada selected to participate in 50 Lessons for Women Lawyers from Women Lawyers. Her Lesson, Dream Beyond Perfection!, is published as Lesson #20.
Despite the forgoing achievements, like many women, for several years, Melanie struggled with the fear of failure, inability to believe in herself, perfectionism, and additional issues related to what is often referred to as “impostor syndrome.” Thankfully, as a result of significant mentorship and the desire to learn to be her best self, Melanie proactively changed her negative behavior and became determined to help others do the same. In 2017, she created Spread Your Sunshine, her then passion project committed to empowering others with the confidence to break the glass ceiling and achieve their dreams. Sparking the #ShineItForward™ movement, Spread Your Sunshine works to effect positive change by offering unique inspirational products in the marketplace, consulting entrepreneurs and small business owners on best practices, and delivering high-energy, interactive keynote presentations and training programs.
Melanie’s success shining others through the glass ceiling to their most audacious dreams was celebrated through her receipt of the TBBJ BusinessWoman of the Year Angie Joseph Excellence in Mentorship Award (2016), Tampa Bay Metro Inspiring Woman in Business Features (2016-17), GSWCF Woman of Promise Award (2017), FSU Inspire Award (2017), KNOW Tampa Feature (2018), The Best of KNOW Feature (2019), and KNOW Tampa Contributor Feature (2020).
Melanie is happiest when she is building up all those around her, including her husband Mike, son Maverick, and Golden Lab Molly. She can best be contacted at Melanie@SpreadYourSunshine.com or (813) 404-8566.
Adriana Guerra, Chief Administrator
Adriana is the backbone of Spread Your Sunshine, bringing more than a decade of customer service, sales, and administrative experience and excellence to the Team. Her attention to detail, professionalism, and ability to make everyone around her feel valued, heard and special are unparalleled, earning her rave reviews from Spread Your Sunshine’s customers, partners and vendors and allowing the Team to grow to its brightest potential.
Beyond Spread Your Sunshine, Adriana cherishes time with her family, especially husband Chester, son Santiago, daughter Valentina and dog Luna. Most weekends, you can find the Guerra family outside enjoying the Florida sunshine, including at our State's beautiful national parks. Beyond Florida, the family's recent adventures have included trips to Nevada, Alaska and abroad.
Adriana can best be contacted at Adriana@SpreadYourSunshine.com or (813) 410-2725.
