"Acton gave me the tools I need to build a profitable, ethical, and purposeful business."
Edward Melendez '07
Credentials:
- Current Director of Finance for The Indigent Care Collaboration
- Co-founder of The Urban Conservancy
- MBA, Acton School of Business; BGS in Language & Culture, University of New Orleans
Edward Melendez will tell you “combining vocation with beliefs is like winning the lottery.”
From kindergarten teacher to Acton graduate, Edward has a successful history of blending beliefs and vocation with community activism. He served as Director of Operations for a chain of coffee houses before co-founding The Urban Conservancy in New Orleans, an innovative organization focused on developing economies and engaging citizens in urban communities. In 2004, he joined the Louisiana Public Health Institute as the Associate Director of the Partnership for Access to Healthcare where, among other things, he rebuilt health information systems for New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.
Unwilling to rest on professional laurels, Edward joined the political ring as the communications strategist for a friend’s bid to the state senate and founded the Social Entrepreneurs of New Orleans.
Edward chose the Acton MBA program because of the intense schedule and high-caliber teaching staff. “The rigorous nature of Acton pushed me beyond my comfort zone and proved that I can produce results under challenging circumstances,” says Edward.
Currently the Director of Finance for The Indigent Care Collaboration, Edward works with leaders in the Central Texas health system to improve healthcare for the uninsured.
His future goal? To create opportunities in “Fourth Sector” for-profit organizations that link private interest with public benefit. A complex challenge, but Edward is ready to take it on. “Acton gave me the tools I need to build a profitable, ethical, and purposeful business.”
