Melissa joined Touchdown Ventures in 2024 and focuses on investments in materials science, retail, supply chain, sustainability & circular economy, IoT, and industrial technology.
Prior to Touchdown, Melissa led the venture capital program at Avery Dennison, a Fortune 500 materials science company. Melissa started her career in corporate development and strategy roles at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. She is currently a Board Director of Direct Color Systems, a digital inkjet printer OEM and a Board Observer of RoadRunner Recycling, a tech-enabled waste management platform.
Melissa graduated from Arizona State University with dual degrees in English Literature and Chinese. She then received her Master’s in Accounting from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.
In her spare time, she is an amateur horticulturist and avid Formula 1 fan. She also loves all Arizona sports and is still holding out for a Phoenix Suns NBA championship.
Favorite Team
The Phoenix Suns
Favorite Moment
A tie between shooting free throws on the Celtics basketball court with Jaylen Brown and getting presale tickets to the Taylor Swift "Eras" tour
Favorite TV Show
RuPaul's Drag Race