Melissa Thi Le

Melissa Thi Le is a driven social entrepreneur, community leader, and ecosystem builder with a solid background in startups, community building, and operating. She is the Founder of Strive With Me, a publication that aims to make personal development and social impact more accessible for young people who are busy. Melissa has worked with various startups, corporate innovation teams, and investor networks, helping them to host valuable events, operate more efficiently and inclusively, and foster communities.

As the former Community Manager for Comcast NBCUniversal's startup engagement team, LIFT Labs, Melissa was actively involved in leading community building, events, and programs, including the Female Founders and Funders Meetup - a meetup that connected female founders to funding, mentorship, and networking opportunities, thus supporting their pathway to becoming investors. She has also co-founded Waterfront Lab, a coworking space in Camden, NJ, and served as a board member for Waterfront Ventures, an economic development organization, where she dedicated her time and resources to enhance economic opportunities for underrepresented residents and minorities.

Melissa's efforts in community building, startups, and economic development have garnered recognition from the media, and various organizations have highlighted her contributions. She was named a South Jersey Business People 40 under 40, a Tech Disruptor by Philadelphia Business Journal, and a 2018 Innovator to Watch by the New Jersey Tech Council. Melissa is also a part of the LEADERSHIP Philadelphia 2020 Keepers Cohort, where she is part of an effort to connect and retain Philadelphia's most promising young leaders.