Melanie Jones

Melanie Jones is the Chief Executive Officer of the Women’s Leadership Institute, Utah’s premier organization dedicated to elevating professional women through cohort-based training programs and corporate partnerships. In her role, Melanie is committed to changing the experience and narrative of what it means to be a businesswoman in Utah.

Melanie brings over 25 years of business leadership experience to WLI, most recently serving as the award-winning editor-in-chief of Utah Business. Previously, she spent decades in the medical device manufacturing industry in leadership roles at Ultradent Products, where she created “Icons of Dentistry,” a workshop exclusively for women dentists, and later as Chief of Staff and VP of Planning at Younique.

A recognized thought leader, Melanie has spoken at events including the Silicon Slopes Summit and interviewed business leaders for podcasts and on-stage fireside chats, including Jason Feifer, Aaron Skonnard, Jacki Zehner, Allyse Jackson and more. She co-authored an online video course on creating monetizable YouTube content and has ghostwritten for executives and community leaders.

Melanie earned her bachelor’s degree from BYU Idaho in digital communication and media, and holds certificates from NYU/Rolling Stone in modern journalism, Harvard Business School Online in business fundamentals, and the University of British Columbia in web analytics.

Committed to advancing women’s leadership, Melanie serves as an ambassador for the Utah Women & Leadership Project and co-leads the Organizational Strategies Spoke of A Bolder Way Forward. She sits on the Thanksgiving Point Science Center Advisory Council and has served as a curator and speaking coach for TEDxSaltLakeCity. Melanie engages actively with her community as a frequent emcee, panelist, and podcast guest.

Outside of work, Melanie started and ran a community produce co-op for six years. She loves reading books from different countries, traveling with her husband and four children, and credits both travel and the co-op for making her kids the least picky eaters she has ever met.

Organization Website: https://wliut.com/

LinkedIn or Social Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-paris-jones/

Course Title: 

Earned, Proven, Ready: What Every Leader Should Know About Untapped Talent

Course Description: 

Why do high-performers often feel they need to prove it again, while others are promoted on potential alone? In this powerful and practical session, Melanie Jones, CEO of the Women’s Leadership Institute, explores the hidden dynamics that cause organizations to overlook incredible talent — and what great leaders do differently. Drawing from real-world stories and lived experience, this session unpacks how self-doubt, unconscious bias, and outdated definitions of “merit” can get in the way of building high-performing teams. You’ll walk away with tools to recognize and activate untapped talent on your team — and maybe even in yourself.