Melissa Kilbourne

Melissa Kilbourne is a seasoned strategic startup leader with a diverse background in various industries such as financial services, marketplaces, online education, and B2B SaaS.

With 10 years of experience, Melissa has held key roles including COO at Trace, where she oversaw Operations, Product, Finance, and HR. She has also served in leadership positions at startups of different sizes, ranging from 10 to 200 employees.

Melissa's professional journey began in a data-heavy marketing role at American Express, a Fortune 100 corporation. She later transitioned to the startup scene, where she leveraged her expertise in Strategy, Cross-Functional Leadership, P&L Management, Product Development, Project Management, and Data Analysis.

In terms of education, Melissa studied Bachelor of Science in Economics at the University of Pennsylvania - The Wharton School and pursued a Master of Business Informatics at Europa-Universität Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder).

She has actively contributed to organizations, serving as a Board Member at Trace and holding various positions such as GM, Same Day Exchange at Shoprunner, Director Of Product at Shoprunner, Chief Operations Officer at Trace, and more.

Melissa Kilbourne's vast experience and expertise make her a valuable asset in the startup ecosystem, particularly in roles requiring strategic thinking, operational efficiency, and product development.