About Me
Hi, its me, Melissa. So you want to know my story? Here it goes….
Prior to becoming a personal and leadership development coach, I worked to champion non profit organizations that serve unique and vital missions. Be it cancer research; educating youth; protecting our environment; celebrating the arts; finding homes for loving animals; or another worthy cause, I was fortunate to use my skills while developing as a leader, contributing to beloved organizations whose work I believed in.
I was pretty happy...or so I thought. I had enjoyed the feeling of making a difference in peoples lives and was successful at achieving and surpassing goals to support the institutes I represented. However at the same time, I had this constant feeling that it was never enough and my fire was beginning to peter out.
Much of my energy and excitement to serve others had depleted as I fell into the default of wearing suffering like a badge of honor. I found myself often feeling defeated with beliefs that no matter what: there will never be enough resources; poor communication and lack of direction among teams is inevitable; and there would never actually be a time to truly design, let alone, execute our dream of fully achieving our mission. These are just a few common thoughts I noticed in the non profit industry (and beyond) that serve to keep its passionate and dedicated individuals and teams in a perpetual cycle of suffering.
She needed a hero so that's what she became.
I decided to stop waiting around for a hero to swoop in and create the change I wanted to see for the organizations (maybe, more importantly the people) that I loved. I took a deep dive internally, first, to see what I could do to take control of the reigns to my happiness. I hired a coach who helped me examine what I was tolerating and how I could make room for what I truly wanted. Through our work together and ultimately studying with the Institute of Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC) I discovered tools that remove suffering and lead to great success all while working towards achieving personal and professional fulfillment.
Today, I enjoy partnering with successful leaders who seek to make the world better for themselves and others. It turns out that for me, helping those who help others live their lives with passion and fulfillment at the forefront, reignited my fire! I am inspired and motivated as I watch my clients a become the Hero of their stories!
Melissa Swartz has nearly two decades of non-profit leadership experience in organizations ranging in size from large world renowned institutions to small grassroots organizations. She has created and implemented strategic and development plans resulting in record breaking event fundraising, grant awards and major donation earnings. As a Leadership Coach, Melissa is dedicated to elevating the effectiveness and efficiency of mission driven organizations while improving work/life harmony for their professional and volunteer leadership.
Melissa began her career managing large scale galas and dinner dances securing millions of dollars for NYC charities including The Mayor’s Fund to Advance NYC, New York Restoration Project, The Juilliard School, NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and more. She later took on the role of Assistant Director of Development at NYU Langone Medical Center where she was part of a team tackling a ten year, two billion dollar campaign and personally grew a portfolio of major donors at the $10,000-$150,000 giving level.
Eager to make a greater impact in her local community, Melissa brought the best practices and skills she developed to smaller organizations including Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, Pets Alive Animal Sanctuary and People to People, Rockland County’s largest food pantry. While serving as Director of Development for these nonprofits, she surpassed event fundraising goals, increased individual and major donor funding, and secured new corporate and government grants.
After becoming a Certified Professional Coaching and Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner through The Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching and achieving ACC accreditation from International Coaching Federation becoming, Melissa brought her fundraising skills and coaching acumen to Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Man & Woman of the Year Campaign where she partnered with volunteer candidates to raise nearly $2.5 million, surpassing the campaign goal of $600,000.
In 2018 Melissa founded Hero Coaching to serve as a personal and professional development coach partnering with leaders who choose to find greater success for themselves and their organizations. She supports clients in strengthening their unique leadership voice, living with greater purpose and fulfillment, and increasing personal and organizational impact.
From 2019-2023 she served with David Severance as co facilitator of Leadership Westchester, a rigorous, nine-month curriculum that is designed to sharpen effective leadership skills and provide participants with the clarity to define and achieve their personal and professional goals in life.
Melissa holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration, Marketing from Towson University and Master's of Science from NYU in Human Resource Management and Development focused on Organizational Effectiveness. She became a Certified Professional Coaching and Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner through The Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching and achieved ACC accreditation from the International Coaching Federation.
