Marie Y. Lemelle’s entrepreneurial spirit led her to establish Platinum Star Public Relations, an award-winning, global marketing and communications firm. Services include strategic planning, research, creative development, media planning and buying, community organizing, casting/talent relations, red carpet logistics/VIP publicity, grassroots outreach, event production and management, and media relations. Her company has pivoted in response to COVID-19 to include other services including the manufacturing of reusable custom face masks and sports apparel for men, women and children.
Platinum Star, a MWBE, DBE and SBE, was established to assist under-served businesses and women business owners to achieve their goals through positive and consistent exposure. Ever evolving, her clients have covered the gamut from boxing to fashion, the entertainment, film, live theater, and music industry and from health and wellness, corporations and to nonprofit organizations that provide services to military veterans and other vulnerable populations. As an entertainment publicist, Marie has increased the star ranking of several actors, producers, directors, writers, musicians, stylist and fashion icons at red carpet events, special events, and beyond. She utilizes her passion and savvy for public relations, community outreach and branding/marketing to assist nonprofits.
Marie has diversified and expanded her company to manage some of the best in the entertainment industry from award-winning directors, writers, actors to singers, songwriters, and musicians. She has taken her company globally through her collaboration with the African Country Sierra Leone and to the next level as a one-stop shop to provide distribution, production and more. Marie is a certified TV/Film producer at Pasadena Media and Foremost Entertainment. She produced the feature film, "Flint Tale," about a family affected by the Flint Water Crisis. Marie is one of the executive producers for the "Flint Tale" official soundtrack mixed tape.
Her entertainment clients include, but not limited to, Century Studios, a recording studio in Jacksonville, Florida; Foremost Entertainment, a film production company founded by Marc Cayce; and Eyedeal Image founded by Giselle Mendoza. Marie is a former member of Women in Film and the Association of Talent Agents. Recently, she launched a subsidiary entertainment division under Platinum Star Media Group for projects and talent management.
For her unwavering commitment to empowering and mentoring women, young girls, and the community at large, she has received numerous honors and certificates from elected officials and national organizations such as the National Association of Female Executives Women of Excellence Award for Community Service and the Community Advocate of the Year. Marie was nominated by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal for the 2014, 2019 and 2020 and the Los Angeles Business Journal 2016, 2017 and 2018 Women in Business Award. For four years, Marie was the columnist for a weekly column, "Health Matters" published by the Los Angeles Wave Newspaper. To address the pandemic and other health issues, Marie writes the weekly column, "Rx Report,"
for the Los Angeles Wave Newspaper that was established in 1912 and has a readership of more than 1 million people. Marie is the recipient of the San Fernando Valley Business Journal Women’s Council Volunteer of the Year 2020 Award.
Her community outreach is evidenced by years of civic service as a former commissioner for the City of Glendale’s Commission on the Status of Women and formerly as an appointed State Board Member by then-Speaker Emeritus Karen Bass to the State of California Department of Consumer Affairs Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Marie is a member of the U. S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce.
Ms. Lemelle earned a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of La Verne. Her Bachelor of Science degree was obtained from Excelsior College. Marie also received a Professional Certificate in Journalism and Public Relations at UCLA. She is a 2008 graduate of the Los Angeles African American Women Public Policy Institute's Public Policy/Leadership Program offered at USC. In 2020, she earned a certificate in Cultural Diversity and Inclusion from the City of West Hollywood.
