Melanie Buford (she/her) is a Harvard-trained author, career coach, and organizational psychologist. Her work examines innovation in career education, focusing on preparing students and clients for a new economic landscape. She has taught undergraduate courses and advised students at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, University of Cincinnati, and Wesleyan University.

Melanie led the writing team for Mapping the Future of Undergraduate Career Education (Routledge) - an international effort to evolve career preparation in higher education. She has been featured on EdSurge, Puttylike, Truity, and Happen to Your Career. Her second book, Beyond the Minor: How to Lead for Social Change, was released in June 2025.

Melanie received the Kenneth B. Hoyt Career Education Practitioner Award and the Ralph W. Tyler Award for outstanding research and publication in career development. She earned her Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, and her Ed.M. in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard Graduate School of Education. Melanie began her career in public service in California as an AmeriCorps fellow with Year Up Bay Area.

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