Melina Murray
I grew up in the Bay Area and built my career alongside the tech industry that grew up around me. Over 20+ years, I found my calling in the People side of the business, not because I planned it that way, but because it turned out to be where I could make the most difference.
I've spent my career embedded in high-growth B2B and SaaS companies, building People functions from the ground up, stepping in during leadership transitions, and helping founders navigate the moment when the way they've been operating stops scaling. I know what it feels like inside a company that's growing faster than its systems because I've been there, many times, as part of the team.
My style is direct, hands-on, and practical. I don't consult from the sidelines. I get in the room, learn the business, and build what actually fits, not what worked somewhere else.
EXPERIENCE
• First HR hire, building People functions from zero and scaling them through early growth.
• Supporting companies from Seed stage through ~200 employees and increasing organizational complexity.
• Partnering directly with founders and executive teams in high-growth environments.
• Building People infrastructure during periods of rapid hiring and organizational change.
• Operating across fully remote, distributed, and multi-state teams.
Where I’ve focused my work
- Building People functions from the ground up
- Designing performance and feedback systems
- Creating compensation and leveling frameworks
- Scaling recruiting systems to support rapid growth
- Coaching founders and first-time executives through scaling decisions
- Supporting org design and leadership structure decisions
How I work
I operate as both a strategic partner and a hands-on operator. I work directly with founders and leadership teams to make decisions quickly, then help translate those decisions into systems, structure, and execution.
Perspective
People functions should accelerate growth, not constrain it. When they’re built well, they improve clarity, strengthen leadership, and increase execution speed across the organization.