Melissa Jun Rowley works at the forefront of technology, media and social change as a prominent author, speaker and entrepreneur. As a contributor and expert commentator for BBC News, she provides insight on the business of technology, tech for good and entrepreneurship. She’s also a former field producer for CNN and Associated Press Television News and a global advisor for #50inTech, an initiative identifying female entrepreneurs, and building an inclusive worldwide network that helps them succeed. Additionally, Melissa provides content strategy and digital transformation consulting to Fortune 500 companies and social enterprises.
In 2017, Melissa launched the specialist accelerator Resolve, which coached entrepreneurs in Lebanon to incorporate sustainability and resilience in their operations and offerings. Prior to cofounding Resolve, she built the humanitarian tech platform, The Toolbox, with legendary musician and humanitarian Peter Gabriel.
Melissa is a frequent speaker and moderator at major industry conferences supporting social justice and innovation. Her published work as an author includes features for BBC News, Fast Company, CBS News, NBC, Mic, Mashable, Village Voice Media, MTV, Cisco’s Technology News Network, The Guardian, Forbes and TechCrunch. She’s currently writing a book about tech and the next wave of global activism.
As an on-camera correspondent, Melissa co-hosted the Global People’s Summit in partnership with the United Nations General Assembly in 2018. She also hosted a series of 2015 Super Bowl events and the first-ever live-streamed meeting at the UNGA, where she spoke about harnessing technology to achieve the Global Goals.
During her early years as a journalist and producer, she flew in zero gravity at NASA, produced business news segments from the New York Stock Exchange, and interviewed entertainment industry luminaries at the Emmys, Grammys, Golden Globes and Oscars.
Melissa is a passionate advocate for achieving peace through entrepreneurship, and loves mentoring and learning from women and young people using science, tech, engineering, art and math (STEAM) to transform communities.