Melissa Richlen

John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

Melissa Richlen is a director of private equity for The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. She has helped develop the global buyout and venture portfolios over the last two plus decades. Her previous professional experience includes underwriting and lending with Foothill Capital Corporation and Sanya Bank and auditing with PriceWaterhouse.

Education, Personal, and Fellowship

Melissa earned a BBA in accounting from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, and an MBA with a concentration in finance and strategy from the Kellogg School of Business at Northwestern University. Melissa is both a Certified Public Accountant and a Chartered Financial Analyst. Melissa serves on the Kauffman Fellows Board of Directors, and is Chair of the Board and the Investment Committee. She is also a member of the Women in Private Equity Network (PEWIN) and its Midwest Chapter Events Committee. Melissa lives in Chicago with her husband, two kids and pups, Stella and Ruby. She enjoys scuba diving, traveling the world, cooking, and swimming.

A member of Class 22, Melissa served her fellowship at The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Her mentors were David Sze, Senior Managing Partner at Greylock; and Laurel Bowden, a Partner at 83North.