Laurie McGraw is speaking with Inspiring Woman Melissa Bell, long time health tech executive ad CCO of Enliven Health. For Melissa, working hard was obvious and natural. She was always one to raise her hand for the next challenging assignment which gave her the reputation of being the company’s go to person for the most visible difficult projects. One of Melissa’s “fun facts” includes a lot of prison time…. having led a multiyear implementation at the nation’s largest correctional corporation. Another major project meant leaving her Midwest roots and relocating to California. This is home today having met her now wife there and where they have their family. The arc of Melissa’s career moves from leading important projects to being an executive leader at growth companies focused on patient outcomes. She is very intentional about how she shows up as a leader, her brand, and her style of leadership. Diverse teams and inclusivity mean a lot to Melissa. “Showing up as your authentic self” is more than a catch phrase. In those early years Melissa kept a sharp line between her professional self and her “weekend” self. Times have changed and those divides no longer exist for Melissa. She recognizes that depending on who you are, where you live, or the environment you are in, this may not be the case for everyone. Which is why it is so important to Melissa to be known for being inclusive, to gain trust of others, and to earn credibility as a leader. Melissa leaves us with a message of celebration, celebrating Pride and inclusivity. Melissa encourages us to stay true to being our authentic selves. And she invites us all to demonstrate and go the distance as allies to the LGBTQ community. It matters.