Melissa Means is Managing Director with Pearl Meyer & Partners in the Boston office. Melissa’s areas of expertise include executive and non-employee Director compensation, as well as assisting companies in designing, implementing and communicating total compensation strategies, pay for performance alignment, and short- and long-term incentive compensation programs, while ensuring strategic shareholder and proxy advisory firm outreach. Melissa works closely with Boards and management teams in addressing many issues including governance practices, executive transitions and succession planning, contractual arrangements and aligning pay with business strategies. She specializes in working with firms ranging in size from small, private and pre-IPO organizations to large multi-national companies across many different industries such as materials, industrials, consumer discretionary, consumer staples, healthcare, information technology, and biotechnology. Melissa assists Pearl Meyer & Partners with its marketing and brand awareness efforts.Melissa is a partner with over 17 years of experience in executive and Board compensation. Prior to joining Pearl Meyer & Partners, Melissa held positions at William M. Mercer and Towers Perrin. She also served as a Director of Compensation for a pre-IPO company and a $10 billion for-profit healthcare organization. Melissa is a speaker and writer on executive and non-employee Director compensation topics. She is a member, author, and speaker for the National Association of Corporate Directors , where she also served on the Program Committee. She is a member of The Boston Club and the Corporate Board Committee, and is also a member of the Woman Corporate Directors. Melissa earned her degree from Miami University. Melissa is a member of the Board of Trustees for a 100-year old music school in the greater Boston area and is a Committee member for Susan G. Komen’s Massachusetts Affiliate annual Race for the Cure Event.