Melissa Reader

Melissa Reader is a social entrepreneur who leads with both head and heart. Her background in adaptive leadership and human-centered design has shaped a distinctive approach: she doesn't just drive change, she brings people along on the journey, helping them see they're not just supporting the solution — they are the solution.

Melissa understands that lasting transformation happens when people feel genuinely connected to both the problem and how they can solve it. Her approach builds genuine resilience because people aren't being managed through change — they're actively shaping it.

This leadership philosophy, combined with her own family's journey through love, life and loss, led Melissa to create Violet, a virtual care platform transforming how we navigate life's final chapters. Violet addresses the practical, emotional, and clinical aspects of this critical life stage, improving outcomes for people and their families while reducing massive system costs. The platform balances humanity with technology, creating cultural and behavioural change that proves innovation and compassion can coexist at scale.

Melissa is a Harvard Kennedy School and INSEAD AVIRA program alumna, recipient of the Chief Executive Women's Entrepreneurs Scholarship and Westpac Social Change Fellowship. In 2023, she secured a coveted Techstars Accelerator spot, taking Violet's transformative potential to the global stage.