Melanie Mihara is a government affairs and public policy professional with 20 years of experience. As Chief of Staff, Melanie serves on the S360 leadership team planning and carrying out strategic projects to support the firm’s growth. She is also a member of the company’s Human Resources team and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee. Previously, Melanie worked in the Washington, D.C. office of S360 where she lobbied for energy, healthcare, municipal, and nonprofit clients. She has successfully secured numerous government and charitable grants and Congressional appropriations for clients.

Outside of consulting work, Melanie served as Chief of Staff at a national minority business development nonprofit. There, she assisted the President & CEO to oversee the organization’s operations, plan large-scale business conferences, and execute strategic initiatives. Melanie also spent six years serving in the Office of U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, where she worked on budget policy, community relations, and assisted organizations to secure federal funding.

Melanie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Vanderbilt University in political science and mathematics. She also earned a certificate in Human Resources from the University of Washington, and a certificate in grant writing from the Foundation Center. She caught the political bug after reading Nine and Counting: The Women of the Senate and went on to intern for U.S. Sen. Patty Murray during college. Melanie is a proud Japanese-American and native Washingtonian.