As a consultant, executive coach, and facilitator, Melanie draws from 30 years of C-level experience in human resources & organizational development, executive coaching, and consulting experience working across a broad range of industries primarily technology startups. She’s worn the hats of both the entrepreneur and the executive, giving her a profound understanding of the challenges and triumphs in these worlds. She has coached hundreds of executives and teams from six continents, from startups to Fortune 50 firms and is a frequently requested speaker on topics such as resilience, change, culture, building confidence, leadership, and empowerment. She works with leaders from brands such as Fresenius Medical Care, CVS Health, Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson, Accenture, ServiceNow, Cedar, and Airtable.
Most recently, Melanie was Chief People Officer at HaptX, Inc. She also served as the President and Managing Director of Swift HR Solutions for 16 years, where she spearheaded a team of 20+, C-level HR consultants, facilitators, and executive coaches and managing a consulting business of more than 100 organizations at any given time. During her tenure, she played a pivotal role in establishing and launching the company’s leadership development programs for the company, while also overseeing the executive coaching department. The startup organizations she supported during her tenure had several successful liquidity events. She has worked with leaders from the C-suite all the way to emerging leaders. She is also a coach for the students going through training at the Hudson Institute of Coaching and an executive coach for their corporate clients. Melanie is also the President of Hudson Seattle Coach Community and Director of Outreach for ICF Washington State.
Her coaching philosophy revolves around fostering a thought-provoking and creative partnership with her clients. She believes in empowering clients to unlock their full potential by challenging conventional thinking and encouraging innovative problem-solving. She aims to guide her clients to explore new perspectives, question assumptions, and gain deeper insights into their goals and aspirations.
Melanie Vargas is the coach and confidant you want by your side as a CEO. She quickly jumped into and learned new industry and understood our key drivers for success. She guided us through several acquisitions in the first few months of our life cycle. She was strategic from the very start, thinking through what we needed and allowing us to scale very quickly. She worked with the team and built our culture from the ground floor. Whether she is working at the Board-level or the individual incumbent level, she knows how to build credibility quickly. She was an invaluable member of my senior leadership team.
Shane Kelly | CEO, Founder, Board Advisor
Credentials & Education:
- Credentials in Human Resources: SHRM-SCP and SPHR
- Business, University of Houston
- Certified executive coach, Hudson Institute of Coaching
- PCC-credentialed coach, International Coaching Federation (ICF)
- EMCC-credentialed coach and team coach, European Mentoring and Coaching Council
- CCMI-certified Team Coach
- 2,000+ hours of executive coaching
- Dozens of certifications in diagnostic tools including Thomas TEIQue®, DISC®, Leadership Circle Profile™ (360) & Collective Leadership Assessment, Dare to Lead® trained, and DEIB certified from Cornell.
Industry / Leadership Experience:
- Over three decades of organizational development, HR, and entrepreneurial experience within venture-backed and private equity-backed organizations
- Industry experience across technology/SAAS (HealthtTech, fintech, gaming, AI, AR/VR), healthcare, professional services, and pet care / veterinary
- Coached hundreds of leaders, from early-stage startups to Fortune 50 companies
- Board-level leadership experience and trusted advisor to executives and founders navigating high-stakes decisions
- Led organizations through significant change and transition, including reorganizations, layoffs, mergers, and liquidity events
- C-level executive background shaped by scaling companies and developing leaders from the ground up while navigating uncertainty and complexity
- Brings a rare blend of strategic insight, operational rigor, and deep empathy to the work of transformation and culture building
In her personal time, Melanie is committed to her amazing family, her husband, three kids, and pet mom two dogs and two cats.
