Melissa Stevens is executive director of the Milken Institute's Center for Strategic Philanthropy. The center works to maximize the return on philanthropic investment by ensuring that innovation used to address one social issue is translated to another, best practices and metrics guide new and existing giving programs, and resources are invested to optimize outcomes.

Previously, Stevens was the deputy executive director of FasterCures, a center of the Milken Institute that is driven by a singular goal--to save lives by speeding up and improving the medical research system. Prior to that, she worked in the health sciences practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers, advising commercial and federal clients across the health-care continuum.

Melissa received a bachelor's degree in biochemistry and an M.B.A. from Pennsylvania State University. She is based at the Institute's Washington, D.C. office.

Healthcare, Health, Philanthropy, Science, Medicine, Pharmaceutical, Milken Institute,