Melissa Schilling
Melissa Schilling is a seasoned Human Resources leader with deep experience in the medical technology and medical device industry. She currently serves as Senior People Manager at Asensus Surgical, Inc., where she is dedicated to developing employees and creating environments that allow individuals to reach their full potential. Melissa has been with the company for over eight years, starting when it was known as TransEnterix and guiding it through its rebranding to Asensus. Her work centers on building strong relationships, supporting organizational growth, and ensuring HR strategies are aligned with business objectives. A major highlight of Melissa’s career at Asensus was leading the HR integration following the company’s acquisition by KARL STORZ. She spearheaded the integration team, collaborating closely with KARL STORZ to transition key HR processes and procedures. This complex project spanned approximately 18 months and involved meticulous planning and execution to ensure minimal disruption to the Asensus team. Melissa prioritized clear, transparent communication throughout the process, helping employees understand the rationale behind changes, the benefits to the organization, and how these transitions supported long-term growth. Her efforts reflect a strategic yet empathetic approach to HR leadership in high-stakes corporate transitions. Melissa holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a focus on Human Resource Management from Seton Hill University, is a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, and earned a Strategic Human Resources Leadership Certificate from Cornell University. As the key leader of the Asensus People team, she often serves as the face of people operations, championing employee development, mentoring, and strategic workforce planning. Active in professional communities including SHRM and Raleigh-Metro SHRM, Melissa is committed to continuous learning, sharing her expertise, and ensuring that HR initiatives are thoughtfully implemented to support both employees and organizational success.
• SHRM Certified Professional
• Gallup Certified Strengths Coach
• Strategic Human Resources Leadership Certificate
• Seton Hill University - B.A. HRM
• Raleigh-Metro SHRM
• SHRM
What do you attribute your success to?
My biggest mentor is Shannon Ross, and she's still my mentor to this day and friend. She actually brought me in at Asensus, which at the time we were called TransEntarix, a different name then. She really pushed me to grow and to really find my voice. I came in not knowing much about this industry, and she taught me everything about medical technology and medical device. She really pushed me to grow in my career and step into a leadership position.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
A mentor encouraged her to grow and "find her voice," which she cites as formative in stepping into leadership.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell her that it is one of the probably the most rewarding careers that you can have, because there is a lot of opportunity to help to touch so many different lives in so many different ways, not only professionally, but personally as well. So I highly recommend it. There are definitely some hard days where HR is not always loved, and there's the old saying, HR is not your friend. Well, that's not necessarily true. But some days it's really hard, and there are days that we're not everybody's favorites, but if you truly are passionate about helping people, helping people to find their career, find their voice, it's very rewarding. I think a lot of people think that it's kind of easy, and that you're just spending your days...a lot of people confuse HR with recruiting, and there's so many different aspects of HR. Over the years, I've been able to help people find that niche for them, whether it's someone like me who wants to be in a capacity, in a role that touches all areas of HR, or if it's someone who wants to be more specific on one of the areas or aspects that make up the industry.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Challenges include working as a very small/solo HR function, managing post-acquisition integrations without disrupting employees, and overcoming perceptions of HR. Opportunities include building strategic, scalable HR programs and investing in employee development.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I have a daughter who is 9, and she is my world. She kind of takes up all my free time. Apart from that, I love to be active, and moving my body on a daily basis is super important to me. I'm also strongly in my faith and very passionate about, strong in my church, and showing up for my church. Between those three things, it kind of takes up a good bit of time, and I love to travel and try to get to explore as much as I can and when I can. I'm actually still a member of my home church, First Presbyterian Church of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and I would love to mention them. In my professional life, my most notable achievement was leading the HR integration team during my company's acquisition by Carl Storrs 18 months ago. I wanted to make sure that we were doing it in a way that was not disruptive to the team here at Ascensus, and really communicating everything throughout the entire process in a way that was well understood.