About Melissa A. Washington
Leadership. Strategy. Community Impact.
Melissa A. Washington is a Navy veteran, entrepreneur, speaker, and consultant who is known for building community and making things happen.
Through her work, she helps women from all backgrounds grow their businesses, and she partners with organizations to strengthen programs and expand impact, especially in the veteran and women’s leadership space.
With a career built at the intersection of leadership, community building, personal branding, and event strategy, Melissa has become a trusted voice for veterans, women leaders, entrepreneurs, and mission-based organizations seeking clarity, momentum, and measurable results.
Born and raised in San Francisco’s East Bay, Melissa is the daughter of a Bronze Star Army Vietnam War veteran.
From an early age, she developed grit and independence, along with an entrepreneurial mindset that would later shape her professional path.
At 18, she enlisted in the United States Navy, serving three years on active duty and five years in the reserve.
During her service, she completed a six-month Med Cruise and a six-month WestPac deployment, experiences that strengthened her resilience and broadened her worldview.
Empowerment and Purpose
While much of Melissa’s work is rooted in serving women veterans, her speaking and consulting audiences are not limited to veteran-focused organizations. She speaks to and supports women and leaders across industries who are ready to grow, lead, and create impact.
Dedicated To Growth, Service, And Community
Melissa earned her bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing and spent more than a decade in corporate recruiting and human resources, supporting notable organizations including Nissan, Oracle, Randstad, Tickets.com, and the 2002 Winter Olympics.
In 2009, following a layoff during the Great Recession, Melissa reinvented her career.
What began as LinkedIn workshops at her dining room table grew into consulting, coaching, and speaking engagements with hundreds of attendees.
In 2011, she founded Melissa Washington, Inc., a consulting practice dedicated to empowering professionals and organizations through intentional strategy, collaboration, and the effective use of LinkedIn as a business tool.
Melissa later worked at LinkedIn, where she managed global meetings and deepened her expertise in relationship building at scale.
She eventually returned to entrepreneurship with a renewed purpose: ensuring women veterans were seen, supported, and connected outside of traditional systems.
In 2015, Melissa founded Women Veterans Alliance, now a global network focused on empowering women veterans through community, collaboration, and leadership development.
She later founded Women Veterans Giving, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports and recognizes women veteran-owned businesses. To date it has awarded over $35,000 in business funding.
She is also the co-founder and publisher of Women Veterans Magazine, the first publication of its kind dedicated to the issues, achievements, and resources impacting women veterans.
In 2023, Melissa launched Veteran Events, a nationwide platform that provides a centralized event calendar, speaker directory, and event services for organizations that serve the military and veteran community. This venture reflects her passion for creating infrastructure that makes it easier for missions to grow and communities to stay connected.
Today, Melissa brings her experience as a founder, nonprofit leader, and national speaker into her consulting, coaching, and speaking work.
She supports individuals and organizations who are ready to grow with intention, including women founders, veteran entrepreneurs, corporate teams, event producers, and community-driven brands.
Known for her direct, motivating style and real-world strategies, Melissa helps clients strengthen their leadership, sharpen their message, expand their influence, and create sustainable impact.
Her Core Values & Commitment
Melissa’s success and community impact are built on unwavering values that define every part of her mission.
Service
Her foundation to serve with authenticity, courage, and heart.
Empowerment
Helping founders, leaders, and organizations build confidence, clarity, and lasting impact.
Resilience
Authenticity
Leadership
Lifting others as she leads empowering women to rise together.
Community
Fostering unity and shared strength across communities, organizations, and industries.
Achievements & Recognition
Melissa’s dedication and leadership have earned her numerous awards and honors, including:
- Mighty25 (2026)
- Military Friendly Veteran of the Year, Navy (2025)
- NAWBO Outstanding Women Leader Visionary Award (2023)
- Thrive Causemetics honored her legacy by featuring a “Melissa” Warm Sienna Sheer Strength Hydrating Lip Tint, symbolizing empowerment and compassion. (2022)
- Center for Women Veterans’ Trailblazer Award (2019)
- Women Who Mean Business Honoree (2017)
- Soroptimist Ruby Award – Women Helping Women (2016)
- Sacramento Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award (2011)
- Melissa has also appeared on Dr. Phil, The Balancing Act (Lifetime Channel), SiriusXM, iHeartRadio, ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox.
Her books
- Get Back to Work: Smart & Savvy Real-World Strategies to Make Your Next Career Move (2014)
- Unstoppable: Being Fierce, Fearless & Unfckwithable in Life and Business* (2022) inspire readers to embrace purpose and build meaningful impact.
Beyond The Work
Melissa lives in Northern California with her husband, Jarrod, and daughter, Maya.
A passionate genealogist and beach lover, she enjoys uncovering her family’s history and creating new memories under the sun.
Continue Exploring
Learn more about Melissa’s books, her media coverage and honors, and the organizations she has founded.