Melanie Wright

About Melanie Wright

I am passionate about coaching and career development, with a deep commitment to helping professionals navigate their journeys with confidence and clarity. My clients span college students to recent graduates/early-career professionals to mid-career leaders and professionals in their third act, equipping them with tools to uncover strengths, define goals, and move forward with purpose.At Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, I launched and scaled career development programming before being appointed Director of the MiM Program (formerly MSMS program). In this role, I oversaw academic and career success for graduate students, blending program leadership with one-on-one coaching to drive measurable outcomes in placement and advancement.Earlier in my career, I worked in technology and consulting—first as a systems analyst in the pharmaceutical space at Eli Lilly, as an intern at Microsoft, and later as a management consultant with Diamond Technology Partners (now PwC Advisory Services). These experiences sharpened my ability to help others navigate complex, fast-changing industries and informed my coaching philosophy: career growth is strongest when built on adaptability, curiosity, and clarity of purpose.Beyond my professional roles, I bring a commitment to service and leadership. I have served as Treasurer and Vice President of the Evanston Dance Ensemble and as a Trustee for Chiaravalle Montessori, where I contributed to financial stewardship, board governance, and strategic growth initiatives.I hold an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a B.S. from Indiana University. If you’re navigating a career pivot, seeking leadership growth, or looking for clarity in your professional path, let’s connect—I’d love to support your next step.

Experience

1. Co-founder

   Nextgroup, Llc

   May 2019 — Present · Evanston, IL, US

   NextGroup empowers women re-entering the workforce to reimagine their professional lives, and provides companies access to valuable talent with precision and speed. From short-term projects, to interim staffing and growth execution, our team of skilled professionals ensures companies stay nimble while meeting aggressive targets and maximizing productivity. At the same time, NextGroup cultivates a supportive community for women, giving them hands-on experience to rediscover their professional lives.As co-founder at NextGroup, I work with relaunching women to provide an array of supports and resources, from professional development to career coaching to hands-on experience, moving our clients from wondering what’s next in their careers, to translating their skills and experience into today’s workplace. I work with companies to provide access to a hard-to-reach source of highly-talented, experienced and EQ savvy professionals who are accustomed to juggling competing demands and making decisions quickly about how best to meet ambitious goals.

Education

• Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management

  MBA, Marketing, Finance, Strategy

  1995 — 1997

• Indiana University Bloomington

  BS, Business and Computer Information Systems

  1989 — 1993

Skills

• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• Management Consulting
• Program Management
• Strategic Planning
• Strategy
• Training
• Management
• Consulting
• Leadership
• Crm
• Recruiting
• Project Management