2024 Rising Star Award: Melanie Brown

5/19/2025

The VRMA Excellence Awards celebrate and recognize the incredible work, contributions, and impact that vacation rental professionals have made in the past year. We are highlighting each of the 11 award recipients in 2024, continuing today with the Rising Star Award: Melanie Brown.

Melanie Brown received this award for her exceptional contributions to the short-term rental industry through her data expertise, global influence, and impactful leadership. Recognized internationally, Brown has become a trusted authority in data interpretation, providing actionable insights for property managers and destination marketing organizations. Her guidance has empowered professionals across revenue management, marketing, and operations to make data-informed decisions, crucial in the evolving short-term rental market.

Her extensive media presence, with features in publications such as Skift and Nerdwallet, has helped Key Data gain international recognition and expand to 110 countries, serving over 5,000 property managers. Brown also regularly shares her insights at industry events, including DARM, the Vacation Rental Women’s Summit, and the VRMA International Conference, further solidifying her role as an industry thought leader.

In a notable project, Brown provided data to support fair regulatory policies, helping communities manage short-term rentals effectively. Her data-driven approach has supported property managers, DMOs, and local organizations in navigating complex regulatory landscapes. Additionally, as a senior leader at Key Data, Brown has led a team of analysts to forecast demand fluctuations, ensuring strategic planning within a post-pandemic market.

Brown’s commitment to advancing the industry through her expertise and mentorship demonstrates her extraordinary potential and solidifies her status as a true rising star in the short-term rental industry.