Melissa Ballenger

Biography

 

Melissa Ballenger serves as an Adjunct Professor at the William & Mary Raymond A. Mason School of Business. Her 30+ year career has concentrated in Banking, Payments and Fintech. Ballenger served in finance executive roles for global public companies, including State Street Bank (EVP & Chief Financial Officer-EMEA (London)), Santander Bank (EVP & Chief Financial Officer), TD Bank (EVP & Deputy Chief Financial Officer) and MasterCard (Chief Accounting Officer & Controller).

Most recently, she pivoted to serve as CFO of a PE-backed, founder-led Fintech. She successfully led IPO preparation and Series D equity funding, and served as Senior Advisor to the Board of Directors. 

Ballenger has demonstrated global leadership both in the US and internationally, directing major corporate priorities including strategic and financial planning and execution, capital markets, finance transformation initiatives and M&A. She has led companies during periods of high growth in domestic and global markets, and has also managed companies proactively through several economic downturns. 

She holds a B.B.A. in Accounting from the College of William & Mary, graduating Summa Cum Laude and as the recipient of the Lord Botetourt Medal. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA), she began her career as an auditor at Arthur Andersen. Ballenger is proud to serve on the W&M Mason School of Business Foundation Board of Trustees. Her other Board experience includes European financial services companies, and she is credentialed as a Certified Director by the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD).