About Dr. Mellisa Patton

Chief Strategy & Operations Officer, Fractional COO, Startup Founder, M&A Strategist, Workforce & STEM Architect, and Thought Leader.

Dr. Melissa Patton is an accomplished executive with over 20 years of expertise in product innovation, strategic operations, and organizational development. Her leadership has shaped the future of education, health, and technology industries—scaling early-stage startups and leading high-growth initiatives through product-led strategies and cross-sector innovation.

Years of Leadership Experience
0 +
Startup Exits Scaled
0 x
Ecosystem Growth Impact
$ 0 M+

Architecting Ecosystems for Growth

Dr. Melissa Patton brings a visionary approach to executive leadership—crafting product strategies, leading operational transformations, and scaling agile organizations. From health to STEM to EdTech, she turns ideas into ecosystems, using strategy as a blueprint and innovation as her engine.

Building Through Product, People & Purpose

With a doctorate in education and organizational development, Dr. Patton has served as a dean, CAO, and tenured faculty member. Her career spans corporate, nonprofit, and startup sectors, always focused on measurable outcomes. As a fractional COO and founder, she’s driven revenue, grown teams, and engineered products that shape the future of workforce development.

Dr. Melissa Patton’s Story

Dr. Patton is a bold, data-driven change leader. She co-founded and bootstrapped a multi-vertical enterprise, growing from one idea into six campuses and 75 employees. She’s led SaaS roadmaps, navigated M&A deals, and built edtech platforms that empower learners and leaders alike. Her path is marked by courage, creativity, and calculated risk.

Core Competencies

  • Organizational Systems
  • Fractional COO
  • B2B & B2C SaaS
  • Workforce Professional
  • LMS, HRIS, and CRM platform competency (Canvas, Blackboard, Engage, Taleo, People Soft, Salesforce, TalentLMS, Schoology, WordPress, Workday, etc.)
  • Monday.com & Jira project management expertise
  • Strategic Planning, KPI Development & OKR Creation
  • In Person/Remote Presenter (e.g., webinars, panels, podcasts)
  • Product Management
  • Microsoft Office, Excel, PPT
  • SCRUM, Lean, Agile Methodologies
  • Marketing Management Experience
  • Roadmap Management
  • Executive Coaching
  • Analytical Skills
  • Digital and Traditional Marketing
  • Published author (e.g., eBooks, articles)
  • Consultant for large and small organizations 

 

Education

  • Benedictine University, Lisle, IL
    EdD in Higher Education and Organizational Change
  • Concordia University Chicago, River Forest, IL
    MA in Community Counseling Psychology
  • Drake University, Des Moines, IA
    BA in English Writing
    Scholarship Student Athlete/Track and Field

 

Certifications & Trainings

  • Product Management Certification+Agile Product Owner + Scrum
  • University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Women in Leadership Certification
  • University of Michigan, Leading for Diversity, Equity, and Conclusion Certification
  • Product Management: Mastering Product Roadmaps Certification
  • Project Management Course: Beginner to PROject Manager Certification
  • Product Design Management for Agile Practitioners Certification
  • Mediation Certification
Contact Melissa