2016 Congressional & Assembly Award and Recognition. Name listed on Congressional Record.
2015 NAWBO OWL Vision Award (An organization whose vision provides opportunities for girls or women)
2011 Sacramento Business Journal 40 under 40 award
Community:
Member Business and Professional Women
Member Women Veterans Business Council
Member, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)
Founder and President Women Veterans Giving
SBA Advisory Committee on Veterans Business Affairs
Member California State Commanders Veterans Council
Member Placer County Veterans Advisory Council
Special Advisor American Veteran Organization of Women Magazine (AVOW)
Board Member of Lincoln Veterans Memorial Coalition
Member VA Northern California Health Care System Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service (VAVS)
Member of Military Women Coalition
Member of the Military Family Research Institute Advisory Council, Purdue University
Charter Member- Military Women's Memorial in Washington D.C.
Veterans Foreign Wars (VFW) LM
Member: AL Post 264, Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Sea Services Leadership Association, Association of the United States Army, Non Commissioned Officers Association (NCOA)
Author:
Get Back to Work: Smart & Savvy Real-World Strategies to Make Your Next Career Move,
Unstoppable: Being Fierce, Fearless & Unf*ckwithable in Life and Business,
Publisher:
Women Veterans Magazine
She has created lasting, global impact by transforming how women veterans are supported, connected, and recognized. After her own experience transitioning from the military, she saw a critical gap in services and visibility for women who served. In response, she founded Women Veterans Alliance (WVA)—a first-of-its-kind organization dedicated to empowering women veterans through impactful events, resources, and community.
Under her leadership, WVA has hosted dozens of events across the country—offering business training, wellness workshops, and networking for thousands of women veterans. She also launched Women Veterans Giving, a nonprofit that has distributed over $20,000 in business funding and travel grants, helping women veteran entrepreneurs grow and gain national exposure.
Melissa expanded her reach by co-founding Women Veterans Magazine, the first national publication highlighting the voices, experiences, and businesses of women veterans. She has also advocated for increased representation in policy and media, amplifying awareness of women veterans’ contributions.
Her efforts have created opportunities in business, media, education, and leadership—empowering women veterans to connect, grow, and lead. Through her consulting and speaking, she educates the public, corporations, and government agencies on how to better support and understand veterans—especially women.
Melissa’s impact can be felt in veteran-owned businesses she’s helped launch, conferences she’s built from the ground up, and communities across the country that now have greater resources and awareness because of her vision. Her work is not just about support—it's about transformation, ensuring no woman veteran is left behind.
