Melissa Smith
Strategic Business Partner + Executive Assistant
Greater Austin,TX
Summary
Strategic business partner with 15 years in high-growth technology companies. Partnered with founders and C-suite executives through hypergrowth, IPOs, and public-company cycles. Developed operating rhythms, people processes, and budget discipline that drive execution, integrating human talent and AI.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
Work History
Executive Assistant
Onebrief
05.2026 - Current
- Strong partnership with CIO and VP of Infrastructure supported leadership coordination and execution.
- Clear operating cadence for technology leadership came from staff meeting planning, rhythm management, and priority tracking.
- Consistent people process support across leaders' teams came through coordination with People Business Partner. - Better budget visibility came from planning and spend tracking.
Senior Executive Assistant
SentinelOne
06.2024 - 05.2026
- Strategic partner to two executives—driving clarity, prioritization, and strong execution
- Develop presentations for Audit Committee, all hands, and strategic offsites to facilitate informed decision-making
- Collaborate on measurable goals, tracking progress and providing insights to support strategic decision-making
- Manage program for Global Technology Summit, coordinating agenda, speakers, vendors, and logistics to ensure seamless execution
- Collaborate on measurable goals; track progress and surface insights for decision making
- Tools: Google Suite, Zoom, Navan, Cvent, DocuSign, ChatGPT, Gemini, Canva
- (NYSE: S)
Chief of Staff, Executive & Personal Assistant
TaskUs
11.2018 - 03.2024
- Drove strategic clarity and execution across board meetings, all hands, and leadership forums
- Facilitated goal setting, tracked progress, and aligned cross-functional teams to enhance collaboration
- Owned people initiatives including hiring, culture, and special leadership programs
- Planned and executed global leadership events (strategy, communications, travel, vendor management)
- Coached and empowered teams to strengthen performance and communication
- Managed calendars, commercial/private travel, and executive inboxes with strategic judgment
- Designed & executed culture program with measurable eNPS improvement
- Built and launched business development process for founder network engagement
- Developed EA support policy and managed hiring, onboarding, and training programs to streamline operations
- Oversaw estates, managed household staff, coordinated finances (POA), and organized personal logistics
- Chief of Staff - President/Co-Founder & Chief Customer Officer
- Senior Executive & Personal Assistant - President/Co-Founder
Executive Assistant, Engineering
LinkedIn / Lynda.com
04.2013 - 11.2018
- Gatekeeper between Executive, direct reports, business partners, & stakeholders
- Complex calendar management & domestic/international travel
- Oversaw expense reports, purchase requisitions, and multi-million dollar budget to ensure accurate financial tracking
- Executed people projects - employee voice survey, OKRs, culture
- Content creation + logistics for All Hands, offsites, & staff meetings
- Managed purchase requisitions & issued purchase orders for Technology related CapEx & OpEx ( saved $1M+ annually in OpEx spend through contract negotiation)
- Leveraged tools like Google Apps, O365, JIRA, Slack, Adobe Suite, Lucidchart, and Trello to enhance team communication and productivity
- Carpinteria, CA
Executive Assistant, CEO
Lynda.com
07.2011 - 04.2013
- Facilitated communication among CEO, department heads, board members, & external contacts
- Monitored CEO's email and managed responses to ensure timely communication
- Coordinated development of presentations/reports for All Hands & board meetings
- Complex calendar management & domestic/international travel
- Managed household operations, including staff coordination and shopping.
- Santa Barbara, CA
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Liberal Studies
California State University
Channel Islands05-2009
Skills
Project management
Strategic planning
Budget management
Strategic execution
Accomplishments
TaskUs IPO
- Strategically collaborated with Executives, Board Members, Bankers, Investors, Lawyers, Public Relations, & Investor Relations
- Contributed to the S-1 and roadshow scripts
- Liaison with Nasdaq for $TASK launch & bell ringing in NYC
People-first
- Led EA & PA hiring for CEO, CFO, CRO, & President at TaskUs
Timeline
Executive Assistant
Onebrief
05.2026 - Current
Senior Executive Assistant
SentinelOne
06.2024 - 05.2026
Chief of Staff, Executive & Personal Assistant
TaskUs
11.2018 - 03.2024
Executive Assistant, Engineering
LinkedIn / Lynda.com
04.2013 - 11.2018
Executive Assistant, CEO
Lynda.com
07.2011 - 04.2013
Bachelor of Arts - Liberal Studies
California State University