Melanie F. Ryan brings over 30 years of diverse experience as a business executive, nonprofit founder, and business owner. As founder and CEO of MFR Coaching & Consulting, she has established herself as a trusted executive coach serving leaders across major technology, telecommunications, media, pharmaceutical, advertising, nonprofit, government, and educational organizations.
Melanie retired from Microsoft in 2021 as Chief Financial Officer for Microsoft Education, where she led strategic planning for a multi-billion dollar division. This firsthand understanding of executive leadership enables her to provide practical, results-driven coaching that resonates with leaders navigating complex organizational dynamics. Melanie’s combination of executive leadership experience and professional coaching expertise enables her to help leaders enhance their strategic and critical thinking while building workplaces where people from all backgrounds thrive and contribute to measurable outcomes.
At the core of Melanie’s coaching philosophy is a deeply people-centered approach that champions inclusive leadership and growth opportunities for all. She believes that organizations thrive when leaders create environments where diverse perspectives are valued and everyone has the opportunity to contribute meaningfully. Her clients consistently report significant improvements in their inclusive leadership capabilities, their ability to recognize and nurture diverse talent, and their success in building cohesive, high-performing teams that leverage the unique strengths of each member.
While passionate about developing senior leaders, Melanie enjoys and excels at coaching across the career spectrum. She leverages her experience managing diverse teams and sponsoring Microsoft’s Early Career Talent program to accelerate growth for professionals at all levels.
As a founder of two successful nonprofits, Melanie brings valuable insights into organizational development and sustainable growth strategies, enhancing her ability to coach leaders through various stages of transformation with an eye toward building accessible, supportive systems.
Her academic credentials combine business acumen (B.A. in Accounting) with deep understanding of human behavior and systems thinking (Masters in Social Work). This unique combination allows her to help leaders balance strategic business objectives with effective, empathetic people leadership.
Clients value Melanie’s authentic, direct coaching style and her ability to ask powerful questions that unlock new perspectives. Whether you are looking to grow into a leadership role or are a seasoned executive, Melanie works with people to be the kind of leaders they want to work for who get the results while building teams where everyone thrives.