Melissa GilkesSmith

Melissa GilkesSmith serves as a fractional COO in healthcare management consulting, based in Springfield, Virginia. With almost 20 years in healthcare operations, she began her career as an office manager of a wellness center in Southern California while her husband was active duty military, advanced to chief operations officer of a vascular practice, and launched her own consulting practice in 2023 to support small to medium-sized medical practices. Her focus is on patient experience. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration, a master's degree from Park University in 2014, and is all but dissertation for her Doctor of Healthcare Administration from Central University. She is pursuing certification as a Certified Patient Experience Professional through the Beryl Institute and holds a life coach certification from Auburn University. She is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and its National Capital Region Healthcare Executives chapter, the Medical Group Management Association, and the Beryl Institute. Melissa attributes her success to her Type A personality, strong motivation, and self-competition. She values accountability, compassion, empathy, and collaboration in her work and personal life. She advises professionals to remember their beginnings and encourages young women to enter any room with confidence.