Speakers
Melinda “Mel” Reeves has more than 25 years experience in human resources in energy, financial services, insurance and high tech industries. Her experience cuts across multiple HR disciplines with deep technical expertise in employee relations, talent acquisition, talent development and culture and organizational transformations. Melinda is currently the SVP, Human Resources for Direct Energy, one of the largest providers of electricity, natural gas and related services in North America, with responsibility for more than 5000 employees across the U.S. and Canada. Prior to Direct Energy, Melinda held key HR leadership positions with USAA, Compaq Computer Corporation and American General Life Insurance.
Melinda is on the board of LiftFund, a designated community development financial institution whose mission is to provide credit and services to small businesses and entrepreneurs who do not have access to loans from commercial sources and to provide leadership and innovation to the micro-lending industry. Melinda is also on the Board for the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto. Melinda is a 2014 recipient of the National Diversity Council’s Most Powerful & Influential Women Award.
A Texas native, Melinda holds a Bachelor’s of Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin and holds senior HR certifications from the Society of Human Resource Management and the Human Capital Institute. Melinda and her husband, Skip, have been married 30 years, have three children, two miniature dachshunds and reside in Houston. In her spare time, she enjoys exercising, reading, traveling, photography, Texas sports and watching her husband fish.