Melissa Widner

Melissa Widner has extensive experience in executive and board roles within the finance and technology industries. Melissa currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Lighter Capital, a leading provider of revenue-based financing loans for tech startups. Melissa also holds the position of Member of the Board of Directors at Lighter Capital.

Prior to joining Lighter Capital, Melissa was the Chairman and Co-Founder of Heads Over Heels, an organization focused on increasing the representation of women leading high-growth businesses. Melissa also served as the Executive Director of The Shore Foundation at SHORE School.

Melissa's experience in the finance sector includes their role as the NAB Ventures Managing Director at National Australia Bank, where they served from 2016 to 2020. Additionally, they served as a board member at the Australian Investment Council, the voice of private capital in Australia.

In the technology sector, Melissa served on the boards of Digital Shadows, Amitree, Poynt, Veem (formerly Align Commerce), and Wave HQ, where they held various advisory and observer roles.

Overall, Melissa Widner brings a diverse set of skills and experience to their current role as the CEO of Lighter Capital, with a strong background in finance, technology, and supporting diversity and growth in the business world.

Melissa Widner holds a Master's Degree in Business and Education Policy from Stanford University. Melissa also obtained a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Washington, Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies. In addition to their degrees, Melissa has a certification in GAICD from the Australian Institute of Company Directors, which they obtained in April 2017.