Melissa McSwegin

About Melissa McSwegin

Strategic, accountable, and curious, I thrive in environments where I can lead from behind and drive innovation in the public health space. I believe that by authentically connecting with others, I am better able to be a strong partner to executive management and consult with teams to deliver highly equitable health solutions.My passion for health equity partnered with my natural leadership skills ensure that I always find the most efficient ways to lead and achieve project goals. From exceptional time-management and organization to analyzing data, implementing evidence-based strategies, and mobilizing cross-functional teams, I bring clarity to ambiguous problems and strive to add value in complex situations. Plus, my creative problem-solving skills ensure that I have an excellent track record in thinking ahead and planning for issues before they arise.With excellent cross-cultural interpersonal skills, I am energized when collaborating with others and my ability to go out of my way and bring diverse groups of people together to achieve a project’s intended outcome demonstrates the value I place on communication and teamwork, including fostering company talent, re-energizing business plans, and aligning people with health and educational resources.Throughout my career, I have enjoyed several leadership positions which has given me the confidence and expertise to successfully: Strategize and manage global health programs and health systems strengthening (HSS) initiatives. Analyze data, market trends, and competition to identify niche business opportunities. Define program strategies, prepare multi-million-dollar proposals, and generate stakeholder buy-in at an executive level. Significantly grow program success and deliver on key performance indicators. Lead multi-disciplinary and remote in-country teams through the full program lifecycle. Be accountable for the financial responsibility of programs up to $120M by effectively managing budgets, resources, and staff. Establish organizational processes, eliminate work siloes, and reduce operational inefficiencies. Communicate in French, Hausa, and Spanish with over 6 years of residential experience in Africa and Latin America. Stay on top of industry changes especially pertaining to infectious diseases, reproductive and maternal health, health systems, and economic development.Over the years, my friendly personality has allowed me to make many exceptional business contacts and I look forward to further growing my professional network – let’s connect!

Experience

1. Senior Director, Strategy and Program Management

   RTI International

   Dec 2019 — Present · Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC, US

   My goal has always been to deeply connect with the clients that I work with and provide strategic support to organizational leaders by effectively troubleshooting and handling the daily needs of the business. Facilitating the management of a $439M portfolio across 20 countries has allowed me to be a technical and operational thought leader in this area and accelerate organizational response rates to global economic changes and infectious diseases. I enjoy facilitating high-level business and I have successfully recruited and retained top talent, accurately forecast workforce planning needs, and engineered processes to remove barriers to in-country employees. My strong technical background in healthcare equity and organizational excellence has further equipped me to overcome complex business and human capital challenges associated with change management, process improvement, and risk mitigation.

Education

• Emory University

  Master of Public Health - MPH

• Kalamazoo College

  Bachelor of Arts - BA