Melinda partners with leaders to drive inclusive and sustainable change through strategy, storytelling, and stakeholder engagement. She is also a startup ecosystem builder and is passionate about solutions to climate change, sustainability, equity, and inclusion. As a TED speaker, author, and changemaker, Melinda has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Inc, Fast Company, Forbes, TED, NPR, Black Enterprise, Protocol, SHRM, strategy+business, New York Post, TechCrunch, The Information, CIO, Fortune, LA Times, USA Today, Good Morning Washington, and more. She speaks, advises, and writes about empathy, allyship, trust, inclusive leadership, climate communications, storytelling, and how to drive change. Pronouns: She/Her LGBTQIA+ Hidden/non-apparent disabilities Speaking inquiries: contact@empovia.co Literary agent: Mark Gottlieb at Trident Media Group mgottlieb@tridentmediagroup.com tridentmediagroup.com ----- Full bio: Melinda Briana Epler has over 20 years of experience elevating brands and developing mission-driven innovation strategies for startups, Fortune 500 companies, and global NGOs. As CEO of Empovia, Melinda works with her clients and partners to drive inclusive and sustainable change. Using her background in storytelling, behavioral science, and large-scale culture change, she is a strategic communications advisor and culture change partner for organizations around the world. She is also a startup ecosystem builder and co-founded Tech Inclusion, where she led partnerships with over 450 tech companies and community organizations and hosted over 50 solutions-focused events. Previously, Melinda was a marketing executive and award-winning documentary filmmaker. Melinda is a TED speaker, author of HOW TO BE AN ALLY (McGraw-Hill), and the host of the popular "Leading With Empathy & Allyship" podcast. She has spoken on hundreds of stages worldwide, including SXSW, Grace Hopper, Wisdom 2.0, the World Bank, the White House, the Clinton Foundation, Black Enterprise, Google, Indeed, Capital One, UC Berkeley, and McKinsey & Company. Website: https://MelindaBrianaEpler.com TED Talk: https://go.ted.com/melindaepler