Dr. Melander is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for Achieving the Dream, Inc. (ATD). In this role, Nicole ensures that programs and operations are informed, supported by, and integrated with cutting-edge technology. Nicole brings to the position more than 20 years of experience in the consulting, education, and operations divisions of multi-national software companies. She has in-depth knowledge of social media, educational technologies, e-business software, and large database systems.
Before joining ATD, Dr. Melander was a Specialist Leader at Deloitte Consulting LLP where she focused on the innovative use of collaboration & social software. Nicole took the position at Deloitte after teaching on these topics at American University where she won the "Teaching with Technology Award" for her use of technology in the classroom.
Previously, Dr. Melander was Senior Global Director for Higher Education Strategy and Programs at Microsoft Corporation. She was responsible for designing and developing global programs for post-secondary education and engaging directly with education leaders and influential organizations.
Before joining Microsoft, Dr. Melander spent 16 years at Oracle Corporation. She was Vice President for Oracle's ThinkQuest program where she oversaw all aspects of the project including partner management, product development, operations, and support. She also directed the international roll-out of the Think.com collaboration environment and implemented the Oracle Academic Initiative for Higher Ed in the US, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific.
Dr. Melander received a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from West Chester University, a Master of Science degree in technical management from Johns Hopkins University, and a Doctorate of Philosophy degree in information technology from George Mason University. Dr. Melander has a patent in the area of Information Retrieval.
