Melissa Smith

Melissa has spent her career leading and learning about leadership. She began her career in Cincinnati, Ohio, at the US Shoe Corporation, where she was involved in sales, marketing, training, and operations. In 1995, she became the national sales manager for the Easy Spirit retail stores and relocated to White Plains, New York. Four years later, she accepted the role of president of the Aerosoles retail stores and built a team that doubled sales and the number of store locations. During that time, Melissa counseled numerous employees at all levels on career development and growth to assist them in their professional journey.

In 2005, Melissa decided to pursue a new direction in her career and took a year and a half off to reorganize and reinvent. Since that time, she has served as the executive director of the Institute for Ethical Leadership at Rutgers Business School and is a graduate of the Leadership Newark fellows program, the former board chair for the Wellness Community of Monmouth and Ocean Counties in New Jersey, a former board member and vice president of the Newark Arts Council, and a former board member of the Rutgers Business School Alumni Association and the Institute for Ethical Leadership at Rutgers. Melissa is now actively engaged in leadership and management consulting. In this role, she has taught ethical leadership to thousands of Rutgers Business School undergraduate students. She leads multi-year leadership development programs for emerging leaders and executives. These programs focus on personal and professional development and have resulted in significant progress for many participants. She regularly spends time in one-on-one coaching sessions with the participants. Melissa has also served on her town planning board and was the chair of the Women and Family Issues Committee for the New Jersey League of Women Voters.

Melissa holds a bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing from the University of Tennessee–Knoxville and received an executive MBA from Rutgers Business School. She also served as the class president for the Rutgers Executive MBA program during her time as a student. Melissa is a certified Life Coach.

Melissa loves outdoor adventure, most recently trekking to Machu Picchu in Peru and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa.