Women To Watch 2025 honoree Dr. Melissa Patton

Dr. Melissa Patton is a visionary leader with over 20 years of experience driving impactful change in education, business development, and strategic operations. As a doctoral-level executive administrator, she has a proven track record of scaling organizations, fostering innovation, and cultivating partnerships that transform industries. Her expertise spans education, STEM, space, healthcare, workforce development, and nonprofit management, where she excels at aligning mission-driven initiatives with strategic goals.

As Managing Partner of Patton Consulting Group, Dr. Patton leads a range of strategic initiatives in her role as a Fractional COO, providing expert guidance to first-time CEOs, small to medium-sized companies, and startups. Her consultative expertise spans the space/STEM, edtech, education, and workforce development sectors. Dr. Patton specializes in developing sustainable operational, financial, and talent management frameworks that empower teams and drive organizational success. Passionate about amplifying her clients’ brands, she aligns them with venture capital and private equity opportunities, preparing them for successful exits. Additionally, she serves as a client-facing executive, representing her clients with professionalism and excellence.

Dr. Patton co-founded and served as Chief Operations Officer of a lean startup enterprise, that she bootstrapped, encompassing an academy, a for profit franchise, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charity, and an educational technology arm. She led efforts to scale the organization into a national brand, growing from one geographic location to six within six years and creating equitable and inclusive programming for thousands of students. Her entrepreneurial approach enabled the development of culturally competent products, including a subscription-based educational technology platform.

She is an active board member, community volunteer, and advocate for youth, education, and social equity. With a passion for innovation and an unwavering commitment to excellence, Dr. Patton continues to inspire and lead organizations toward meaningful and sustainable growth.

Dr. Patton holds a Doctor of Education in Higher Education and Organizational Change, a master’s degree in counseling, and a bachelor’s degree in writing. When she is not working, she is camping and hiking in the mountains, riding horses, or enjoying a bike ride with her husband, Stanley, who she has been married to for 19 years. She enjoys traveling throughout the Caribbean with Stanley and her two sons, Micah (16) and Mason (12). A Cowgirl at heart. one of her top bucket list items is to compete in the Black rodeo as a barrel racer, yeehaw!