Melissa Botello
Melissa Botello is an accomplished MedTech leader, customer experience strategist, and entrepreneur with nearly 25 years of experience in the medical device industry. As a Senior Director of Customer Experience, she has dedicated much of her career to improving patient outcomes—particularly in diabetes care—by designing seamless, scalable support systems that make complex health technologies easier to use. Her work focuses on combining digital innovation with empathetic human support to ensure patients receive timely, effective care throughout their journey.
Throughout her career, Melissa has played a pivotal role in scaling high-growth organizations, including industry leaders like Stryker and Dexcom. At Dexcom, she led customer operations for major product launches, including the company’s first direct-to-consumer glucose monitoring solution, ensuring operational readiness, regulatory alignment, and a frictionless patient experience. Known for her ability to build and lead high-performing teams, she has consistently transformed customer insights into strategic improvements that drive satisfaction, loyalty, and long-term success.
Beyond her corporate leadership, Melissa is also an entrepreneur, board member, and advocate for women’s empowerment and underserved communities. She serves on the board of Leap to Success, supporting women overcoming adversity, and is actively involved in initiatives with organizations like the American Heart Association. In addition, she owns a winery and has ventured into fashion with empowerment-focused designs, reflecting her passion for creating meaningful experiences both professionally and personally. Melissa’s leadership is grounded in empathy, purpose, and a commitment to making a lasting impact in people’s lives.
• Artificial Intelligence: Business Strategies and Applications
• University of Phoenix- B.S.
• American Heart Association Go Red for Women
• Mayo Clinic Women's Foundation
• Leap to Success Board Member
• American Heart Association Go Red for Women - Women's Heart Health Advocacy
• Mayo Clinic Women's Foundation - Women's Health Education
• Leap to Success - Supporting Women from Domestic Violence and Adversity
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my parents and the strong work ethic I learned from them early in life. I came from a very underprivileged family where my parents both worked multiple jobs at any given time just to survive. When you see really strong work ethics like that, it sticks with you. I also had this concept of wanting to have a better life and wanting my children to have a better life than I did as a young person. Seeing my parents' dedication throughout the years and knowing that anything is possible with some hard work and focus and dedication, I would definitely give credit to my parents for that. Watching them work so hard taught me everything I needed to know about perseverance and commitment.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve received is, “Produce the results and everything will come after that,” and over time, I’ve learned that pairing strong results with relationship-building and visibility is what truly drives long-term success.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
First, find something that you're going to love and something that you're going to enjoy, and that fills your cup. Then focus on producing the results that are expected, but take time to nurture relationships and create visibility. Early in my career, people told me to just produce the results and everything will come after that, so I was head down for 15 years at least, just grinding and producing the results that were expected. Although my results were top-notch, I didn't invest enough time in relationships and the visibility piece. I sort of looked up one day and realized my peers were being promoted, and I wondered where I was. When we're head down and just looking at our path, we're not showing up and being visible where we need to be. Today with the remote world, it's a whole different situation. You really have to show up and be intentional with visibility and relationships. Don't make the mistake I made of thinking results alone will get you where you need to go.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Some of the biggest challenges and opportunities in my field include closing disparities in care for underserved communities and people of color living with diabetes, while balancing digital support with empathetic human connection. Additionally, maintaining visibility and building meaningful networks in an increasingly remote world remains both a challenge and an opportunity.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are paying it forward, giving back, leading with empathy, advocating for others, and staying deeply dedicated to making a meaningful impact.