Melissa Zaffino, a junior public relations major, was recently named the Movin’ On 2027 executive director.

Zaffino began her Movin’ On journey her first year at Penn State as a merchandise manager. She then took on the role of social media coordinator the following year. Currently, Zaffino is the director of sponsorship for Movin’ On 2026. In her current role, Zaffino led the process of securing funding, sponsorships, and forming partnerships with local companies for this year’s event.

Movin’ On 2026 is set to take place on Friday, May 1, featuring performances by Zara Larson, The Dare, That Mexican OT, and Slayyyter.

Onward State sat down with Zaffino to learn more about her Movin’ On experience and her goals for Movin’ On 2027.

Onward State: Why did you decide to join Movin’ On? 

Melissa Zaffino: I’m from State College originally, so I grew up here, and I’ve been going to Movin’ On since 2018. As a local, I really enjoyed going with my dad and with some of my friends as I got older. So, I knew coming to Penn State that I wanted to be involved. I just loved everything surrounding Movin’ On, the experience that it not only gives to students, but also to the community. It’s free, so it’s really accessible to everybody in the area, which I really loved. I’m also just a big concert person in general, so why not turn something that’s a passion of mine into my future career?

OS: How do you believe your past involvement with Movin’ On will prepare you for this new role as executive director?

MZ: Starting my freshman year, I was a merchandise manager, and I really tried to elevate it and take my own spin on the role. For example, in previous years, all of our merch was stuffed in the activities tent at the festival. I proposed that we should have our own merch tent, in a central location, so people may be more inclined to buy merch. I think that kind of initiative, in a small role in the organization, and trying to make the role my own, helped me in my move to social media coordinator.

Then I got the position of director of sponsorship, and I’m so glad that I’m in this role currently, and that I’ve had this experience, because I’ve been able to coordinate directly with large brands like Pepsi, Celsius, Raising Cane’s, and set goals for myself in the area of sponsorship. It’s really helped me with relationship building and getting to know the ins and outs of what makes a partnership come to life. I think my experience in sponsorship can translate well to the executive director role, because a lot of what the executive director does is negotiating contracts, working on security, and securing funding for the organization.

OS: What has been your favorite memory while working for Movin’ On?

MZ: The experience of load-in and load-out. Being in the IM fields for those three to four days in preparation for the festival, and then tearing everything down, has been one of the most rewarding experiences for me. You just get to meet so many people and form new connections and relationships, and get to spend time with people who have spent the whole year dedicating themselves to this organization and putting in the work. Being at the IM Fields on Wednesday before the show, and there’s nothing there, and then Friday morning, there’s an entire stage, a whole backstage, and vendors set up. We take the space from nothing to building an entire festival. It’s just the coolest experience.

OS: What was your reaction to finding out that you were selected as executive director?

MZ: I was really excited. The interview process was more intensive than anything I had experienced before, so I was uncertain of what the outcome would be. The current executive director, Allie Riegel, called me, and I cried. It was really emotional for me, because I’ve been involved in some capacity with Movin’ On for 10 years, so stepping up into this role and being able to be a leader for other people really excited me. It definitely was a weight lifted off my shoulders that my hard work has paid off, and I’m able to take on this role in my own way.

OS: What are some goals you have for Movin’ On 2027?

MZ: I think what comes to the top of my mind is that I just want more people to know about Movin’ On. A lot of people that I’ve talked to didn’t know what it was until it was happening in their first year. I want to get our name out there more. I think when people learn that it’s entirely student-run from start to finish, they care more about it, so I want that to be something that’s at the forefront of people’s minds. And Movin’ On is such a tradition, we’re going into our 51st year, so it should be more widely recognized.

I also think taking steps towards our five-year sustainability plan that Allie has put in place is really important. I have a great team that will be able to help me implement some of the strategies that she created.

I just really want everyone to love Movin’ On as much as I do. We’ve seen a lot of excitement with the lineup this year, so I just want to replicate that and give the students and the community the best experience that they can have.

OS: Which Movin’ On performance has been your favorite since you’ve been at Penn State, and why?

MZ: I think for me, it was the All-American Rejects performance last year. The weather wasn’t great, and there were thunderstorms in the distance. So we had to wait around and see if we needed to take action and clear the fields. There was a moment in time when I thought to myself, ‘I don’t know if this event is going to happen.’ And for me, spending the whole year planning that just for it to get canceled for something out of your control is really disappointing. So that performance for me was my favorite, just because everybody was so excited, and we weren’t sure if it was going to happen. Seeing all the people that stayed out on the field, even though it was raining, was really rewarding for me as someone who just loves the organization.

OS: What is one thing you are excited about for Movin’ On 2027?

MZ: I’m excited to be able to take a step back. As executive director, you obviously have a lot of responsibilities, but a lot of it is supporting the rest of the board around you. So I am excited to kind of dip my toes into different aspects of the festival that, normally, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to. I’m so wrapped up in all of my sponsorship stuff currently that I don’t really get the opportunity to do that. I am excited to see everything from a broader scale and have a hand in every aspect of the festival. Obviously, our executive board discusses everything, but at the end of the day, the executive director is the one to make those final decisions. So, I do think that’s a cool opportunity for me to really build my leadership.

OS: What has been the most rewarding part of being involved with Movin’ On?

MZ: I think for me right now, putting out the lineup that we worked so hard on this year has been super rewarding. Seeing all of the positive reactions and how people are super excited for it has been something that I have always looked forward to. We would spend 3 hours after a meeting doing artist discussions and trying to figure this out. So seeing it finally released and knowing that we didn’t settle for anything, and that we didn’t rush it, has been super rewarding. It’s been the lineup that we’ve had the most eyes on. So it’s cool to be a part of something that will be historic in the long run of Movin’ On.

OS: Who is your favorite musical artist?

MZ: That’s really hard, because I honestly listen to everything. I dabble in everything from K-pop to rock to pop. I would say right now, the artist that I’ve seen the most, and that I just overall keep up with the most, is Inhaler. They’re kind of a smaller band from Ireland, but I’ve seen them in concert like 11 times. I’d say right now they’re my favorite band.

OS: As per Onward State tradition, if you were a dinosaur, which one would you be and why?

MZ: I really don’t know any specific names besides a T. rex, but I think I definitely want to be one that flies, and maybe be a little bit smaller. I don’t know what that translates to in dinosaur terms, but I just want to move around quickly, and then being able to fly would be so cool.