Her Story
About Melissa
Melissa Villanueva has been in the employee relations field since starting in 2011. She earned a degree in legal studies from UC Berkeley and initially worked in global operations at Cisco Systems after graduation before transitioning into employee relations there. She spent nearly 10 years at Cisco, followed by a year at a fintech startup where she built systems and processes, nearly five years at Workday as Senior Employee Relations Partner where she led the function as the sole ER professional for several years, and the past three and a half years at Adobe in a robust employee relations department. Villanueva is actively involved in ER networks and roundtables. She values empathy and integrity in her work, particularly when supporting employees on difficult days, and she aims to help organizations establish and strengthen their employee relations functions through consulting or similar roles in the future.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Melissa
01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Connect and network within the ER community. Don't let boundaries scare you; reframe your skills like problem-solving and influencing from other experiences to position yourself for ER roles even without direct experience.
02What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Empathy is the most important value, especially when working with people on their worst days. Handle situations with integrity and care, meeting people where they are with their concerns.
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