Maria Elena Melendez
About Maria Elena Melendez
Maria Elena Melendez serves as the Head of Strategy and Resource Management and Co-Head of the Strategic Planning Office at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where she has worked since 2017. She has extensive experience in strategic planning and resource management, having held various leadership roles in organizations such as the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Pershing, and AIG Retirement Services.
Current Role at Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Maria Elena Melendez serves as the Head of Strategy and Resource Management and Co-Head of the Strategic Planning Office at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. She has held this position since 2017, contributing to the organization for over seven years. In this role, she has implemented new resource management programs that improved the quality of the organization’s budget and forecasts. This initiative enabled the organization to achieve its budget target for the first time in recent history.
Previous Experience at Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Prior to her current role, Maria Elena Melendez worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in Strategic Planning and Evaluation from 2014 to 2017. During her tenure, she guided senior leaders through a complex budget environment as Secretary to the PRE Subcommittee from 2018 to 2019. She also facilitated the alignment of strategic objectives with a new operating model.
Education and Academic Background
Maria Elena Melendez studied at several prestigious institutions. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service and International Economics at Georgetown University. She also earned a Master of Arts in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University. Additionally, she studied at The Wharton School, where she focused on Strategy for 11 months in 2009.
Career History and Leadership Roles
Maria Elena Melendez has held various leadership positions throughout her career. She worked as the Head of Business Planning at Pershing, a BNY Mellon company, from 2012 to 2014. Prior to that, she served as Director at The Financial Clinic from 2008 to 2015. She also held multiple roles at AIG Retirement Services in Tokyo, Japan, from 2002 to 2007, including General Manager and Vice President.
Contributions to Diversity and Inclusion
Maria Elena Melendez serves as a Leadership Advisor for MOSAIC, the employee resource network for women of color. This role reflects her commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion within the workplace. She has also led cross-enterprise initiatives, including the design and implementation of a change agility framework for the organization.