Melissa Judd

Melissa Judd, MBA, has a diverse work experience spanning various industries. Melissa currently serves as the Vice President of Research Operations & Academic Partnerships at the Vector Institute, where they lead a team in developing and overseeing programming and services to attract top talent and promote AI adoption. Prior to this, they held the role of Director of Academic Partnerships at the same organization.

Melissa's previous experience includes roles at the Schulich School of Business - York University, where they served as the Assistant Dean of Students and later as the Director of Student & Enrolment Services. Melissa also briefly worked as the Acting Executive Director of Student Services & International Relations at the Schulich School of Business.

Before their time at the Schulich School of Business, Melissa worked as the National Manager of School & Youth at UNICEF, where they were responsible for delivering revenue targets and overseeing the development and implementation of programs. Melissa also provided strategic advice to managers across the country.

Additionally, Melissa gained experience as a Policy Consultant at the Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care, Strategic Planning & Implementation Branch. Melissa began their career as a Marketing Coordinator and eventually became the Marketing Manager at the Toronto International Film Festival Group, where they managed a direct report and focused on niche marketing activities.

Melissa Judd, MBA has a diverse educational background with a focus on coaching, marketing, arts, media, and psychology. In 2016, they completed two coaching courses, "Core Competencies of Coaching" and "Foundations of Professional Coaching" at Adler. Prior to this, they obtained an MBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University between 2000 and 2002, specializing in Marketing, Arts & Media. Melissa also holds a Bachelor's Degree in Honours Psychology from the University of Ottawa, which they earned between 1993 and 1998.

In addition to their formal education, Melissa has pursued various certifications. In 2020, they obtained a certification in "Foundations in Design Thinking" from IDEO. In 2019, they completed several certifications related to artificial intelligence (AI), including "Learning XAI: Explainable Artificial Intelligence," "AI Accountability Essential Training," "Artificial Intelligence Foundations: Machine Learning," "Artificial Intelligence Foundations: Neural Networks," and "Artificial Intelligence Foundations: Thinking Machines," all from Lynda.com. Furthermore, in 2013, Melissa obtained certifications in "Violence Threat Risk Assessment: Level 2" and "Violence Threat Risk Assessment: Level 1" from the Canadian Centre for Threat Assessment and Trauma Response.