About Me

I believe there’s a better way to work.

I’m a former box-ticking corporate exec who left it all to change the way we work.

I spent a decade sprinting between airports, board rooms, and conference stages. At the podium, I was an ambitious woman breaking glass ceilings and collecting accolades in a male-dominated industry. Behind the scenes, I was overworked, unfulfilled, and following rules that did not align with my values.

Then along came 2020.

The events of 2020 made me realize I wasn’t alone. Nearly everyone I knew in and outside the office was burnt out, frustrated, and unhappy at work. I was determined to find out why.

After studying everything from management science and organizational psychology to the history of office design, I concluded that the way we’d been working wasn’t working. I knew that thriving in a post-pandemic world would require major changes.

I became passionate about helping humans and organizations adapt. With a renewed sense of purpose, I left my corporate career behind to transform the future of work.

I left my job to make yours better.

I now write, speak and advise organizations on how to build happy, inclusive and innovative workplaces. I combine data-driven, cross-disciplinary research with the voice of the very human workforce to redesign how organizational systems can adapt to a rapidly changing future. I believe that when people thrive, business thrives also.

 

Off the clock, you can find me bachata dancing, training for the Camino de Santiago, or searching for the perfect cortadito.

 

It’s time to change the way we work. Are you ready?

Hi, I’m Melina.

Podcasts

A few fun facts

I love learning.

I am addicted to data, research, and learning new things. I have degrees in French literature, urban planning, and international development and studied in classrooms all over the world. My academic adventures include: Yale University (BA), Sciences-Po Paris (MSc), London School of Economics (MSc), and a short stint at the University of Copenhagen.

I’ve lived in 4 countries.

I love immersing myself in new places and environments. I’ve called many places home, including: the Jersey Shore (yes, that one), New Haven, CT, Miami, FL, Paris, London, and Washington, DC (my birthplace!)

My first job was at a pizzeria.

From politics and tech to research and commercial real estate, I’ve dabbled in a little bit of everything. Here are some of my career pitstops: A pizzeria, two art museums, a market research company, the UK Parliament, a tech start-up, and a Fortune 500 real estate firm.

Languages are my favorite

Raised speaking English and Spanish at home, I adore languages. After studying French in college, I took up Portuguese in grad school and Italian two years ago. I’m still deciding which to try next…