Melissa Taunton

Melissa Taunton is a Partner at New Enterprise Associates (NEA), a prominent multi-stage global venture capital firm with over $24 billion under management.1 She joined NEA in 2015 and focuses on talent acquisition at the executive level across the NEA portfolio.3

Career Background

Taunton has an extensive career in technology and healthcare:

• She began her career in technology, working at companies like Qualcomm (supply chain management), Hewlett-Packard (global contract manufacturing strategy), and Netopia (strategic technology alliances).13
• She later transitioned to healthcare, serving as President of Drip Drop, Inc., an oral rehydration product company.23
• Before joining NEA, she was an Operating Partner at Khosla Ventures from January 2014 to May 2015.12

Role at NEA

As a Partner at NEA, Taunton:

• Works closely with founders and CEOs to build, develop, and retain top-tier executive teams and boards.2
• Designed the CEO leadership program called Invictus, fostering a community of NEA leaders.2
• Brings her broad operating experience and passion for building relationships to cultivate leaders who will create impactful companies with global reach.23

Education and Background

• Taunton holds an MBA from the University of San Diego, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude in finance and marketing.13
• She also studied at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of KwaZulu-Natal.1
• Originally from Durban, South Africa, she moved to the United States as a young adult and made the Bay Area her home base.3

Taunton's diverse experience in technology, healthcare, and venture capital, combined with her international background, contributes to her unique perspective in her role at NEA.