Hello!

Here’s how I can help…

  • Facilitation

    • Facilitating conversations that move people and business forward…

    • Training team-members to contribute to your business bottom line…

    • Coaching to invigorate and activate…

    • Cultivating inclusive Executive Leaders and Teams…

  • Relationship Brokering

    • Commission-based B2B sales, especially in the water & environmental sectors.

    • Commission-based investment support for start-ups.

    • Fee-based referrals for technical, PM, leadership, and Advisory/Board team members for businesses in STEM fields.

Independent Offerings

Mel Butcher Facilitating in Chicago
Mel Butcher, headshot

Facilitation, Training, Keynotes +

  • Design Thinking Workshops

  • Brainstorming Sessions

  • Leadership Development

  • Feedback & Communications training for Leaders

  • Consulting 101 for Technical Professionals (a.k.a. Real Onboarding for engineers & technologists), a corporate offering

  • Job Hunting Course for Recent Engineering Grads

  • Facilitating Her Network and the Hard Tech Accelerator at StartingBlock Madison

Lead to Soar

Advisory, Training, Coaching

  • Inclusive Leadership Training for Senior & Executive Leaders

  • Holistic Leadership Development and Training for Cohorts of Women (multiple offerings spanning various aspects of Business Intelligence, Emotional Intelligence, Social Intelligence, Communications, Feedback, etc.)

  • The Lead to Soar Virtual Network for Women

  • The Lead to Soar Podcast - a free resource

🗓️ Upcoming Events

October 17

Mel facilitating Her Network at StartingBlock | Guest Business Woman: Sara Conzemius, Co-Founder of Illume Advising
Madison, WI

RSVP

October 18/19

Soft Opening of The Loxley

The Loxley

November

TBD

TBD

December 5

Mel facilitating Her Network at StartingBlock | Holiday Special
Madison, WI

RSVP

December TBD

Unofficial Her Network Holiday Party at The Loxley

Check back for RSVP

2025!

TBD

TBD

Select Past Speaking Engagements 

  • Panelist - The Missing Link in Leadership Advice for Women - UW Construction Engineering, 2024.

  • Keynote - Making Meaning in the AI Era - Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce, 2024.

  • Keynote - Women in Water Learning Exchange at the AZ Water Association Statewide Annual Conference, 2024.

  • Keynote Speaker on International Women’s Day for Confidential Manufacturing Client - “How Women Can Have a Career that Soars!” and “ Networking Like a Boss,” 2024.

  • Facilitator, CEO Panel - The Lead to Soar Summit, Australia, 2023.

  • Speaker - “Business, Strategic & Financial Acumen: Concept to Practice” Confidential AE Client, 2023.

  • Keynote (The Keystone Professional) & Workshop Facilitator (Decoding Confidence; Communication for Engagement) - Confidential AE Client, 2023

  • Keynote - Private Event for Confidential AE Client - “Choosing to Lead the AE Professionals of Tomorrow,” 2023.

  • Speaker - “How Women Can Have a Career that Soars!” Confidential Client, 2023.

  • Facilitator and Co-host of the Lead to Soar Summit, US, 2023.

  • Keynote - Conference for AEC Leaders, "Your Leadership Pipeline: Closing the Gender Gap." 2023

  • Presenter - Webinar for AEC Leaders “Prepare Women to be Your A/E/C Firm Leaders of Tomorrow -- Today!,” 2023

  • Speaker - AEC Senior Executive Briefing, “Advancing Women in AEC,“ 2023

  • Presenter - University of Pittsburgh Society of Women Engineers FiERCE Forum, 2023

  • Training Presenter - Confidential Fortune 500 Client, "Sponsorship versus Mentorship." 2022

  • Keynote - TalentMAX by PSMJ, "Seriously Supporting the Female Talent Pipeline." 2022

  • Host and Presenter - The Lead to Soar Summit, "Systems for Success." 2022

  • Podcast Guest - The Everyday Heroine podcast by Maria Kauffman, 2022.

  • Panelist - University of Pittsburgh Society of Women Engineers FiERCE Forum, 2022

  • Podcast Guest - Wine After Work with Bryce Batts, 2022

  • Speaker - Confidential Corporate Client - Teamwork for Creatives, 2022

  • Speaker - Confidential Corporate Client - Leading for Productivity and Connectivity, 2022

  • Podcast Guest - "A Smarter Way to Find a Job," American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Plot Points, 2021

  • Speaker - "Closing the Gender Leadership Gap at the Top," RMWEA, 2021

  • Speaker/Facilitator - Confidential Corporate Client - Effective Mentorship for Leaders, 2021

  • Speaker/Facilitator - Confidential Corporate Client - Mentorship and Sponsorship for YPs, 2021

  • Guest Panelist - GWI, Industrial Facility Water Challenges, 2021

  • Podcast Guest - Curate the Future, 2021

  • Podcast Guest - Non-Traditional College Success podcast, 2021

  • Speaker/Facilitator - Women’s Conference - Developing Your Power Network, 2020

  • Podcast Guest - Words on Water Podcast by WEF, On the State of Women in the Water Industry, 2021

About Mel…

Bio

Headshot of Mel Butcher

Mel Butcher is a Facilitator and Creator with over 15 years of professional experience. Mel speaks and provides training on workplace leadership, engagement, and self-leadership, particularly in AEC/STEM spaces.

Mel is co-President of Lead to Soar, an organization with a mission to close the leadership gender gap using research-backed methods. As part of Lead to Soar, Mel consults directly to organizational leaders on closing the gender leadership gap. She also facilitates courses focused on equipping women with what they most need to advance and earn leadership positions, namely — business, strategic, and financial acumen.

In prior lives, Mel has served as a technical consultant for clients in the US and abroad, providing advisory across leadership, business management, environmental/water risk, and corporate sustainability. Mel holds a BS and MS in Engineering and a BA in Language.