Melissa Forbes
Deputy Executive Director - Gulf Research Program (National Academy of Sciences)
- Role
- Deputy Executive Director - Gulf Research Program at National Academy Of Sciences
- Location
- Washington, DC, US
- LinkedIn followers
- 500 followers
About Melissa Forbes
I am an enterprise executive with deep experience leading large, federated organizations through transformation, complexity, and change across the public and nonprofit sectors.Currently, I serve as Deputy Executive Director for the Gulf Research Program, helping steward a $500M endowment focused on science, energy safety, and resilience in the Gulf region. I translate strategy into execution by integrating siloed programs, aligning resources to priorities, strengthening evaluation and learning, and building the operational and data infrastructure needed to maximize long-term impact. Previously, I served as Assistant Administrator for Recovery at FEMA, where I led the nation’s disaster recovery mission through an organization of 7,500+ employees, a $116M operating budget, and dispersed operations. My teams delivered $31B in grants to states and $3.3B in assistance to disaster-affected households.My leadership strengths include enterprise strategy and execution, change management, capital and operational stewardship, and building alignment in complex environments. I am known for clarifying the “why,” developing leaders, and creating cultures grounded in mission, learning, continuous improvement, and accountability.
Experience
Deputy Executive Director - Gulf Research Program
Sep 2024 — Present · Washington, DC, US
Advance organizational strategy and resource alignment, impact evaluation, and operations for a $500M endowment. Drive integration of formerly siloed programs, align investments under a place-based framework, and oversee data, grants, and technology infrastructure. Help guide long-term spend-down planning through 2043, champion responsible AI adoption, and build partnerships that strengthen the Gulf research ecosystem and accelerate mission impact.
Education
Texas A&M University
MPSA, Public Service and Administration
2002 — 2004
University of Michigan
PhD, Public Policy and Sociology
2004 — 2010
Truman State University
BA, Political Science
1998 — 2002
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