Hometown: West Branch

Education: Bachelor of Science in communications, Clarion University of Pennsylvania; Master of Arts in advertising, Syracuse University

Family: Husband, Jeremy; daughter, Katie; son, Patrick

Contact: moneil@centraliowashelter.org

When she was growing up in West Branch, Melissa O’Neil knew from fifth grade on that she wanted to be a women’s basketball coach. She fulfilled that dream by becoming an assistant women’s basketball coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. But after her first child was born, she knew that she wanted to pursue a different path so she could have more time with her young family. After moving back to Iowa, two mentors helped her to understand that the skills and passion she had as a coach translated well to the nonprofit world, which led to her accepting a position as CEO of Central Iowa Shelter & Services earlier this year.

 

O’Neil answered a few questions exclusively for Lift IOWA readers during an earlier Business Record interview (Insider content.)

After I moved back to Iowa, I took a position at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach as director of the (Adventure Learning Center) ropes course. (Through that) I met two amazing women: Jennifer Browne and Jennifer Webster (who are leadership coaches and co-owners of OneBody3). They really helped me to look at my past background and history and how do I take that passion and put it into meaningful work that I’m excited about every day. That’s what led me to Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates (where she spent three years before being hired by CISS). It was truly letting go of what the world believes you should do and really learning to lead from a point of purpose and a point of passion. I truly wanted to be someone who was having a career and was making a difference.

Advice to women trying to lead in your field?
For women, I go back to Proverbs 31, which I have here on the wall: “She is clothed in strength and dignity and she laughs without fear of her future.” I think oftentimes women as leaders get too concerned about what people think or how that person’s going to react. I would go back to that proverb that was given to me during a leadership event I attended. It is OK to be courageous, to be confident, to be unique and authentic and transparent. We need strong women leaders to stand in the gap, with business mindsets that lead nonprofits that help them get further on into the future.

I think it was when I first chose to leave coaching women’s basketball. I remember turning in my letter of resignation and sitting in my kitchen with my husband and being rather emotional, saying, “I have no idea what I’m good at.” I think it took me a couple of years to really overcome that hurdle and figure out, what is it I’m really good at doing?

Angie Lee, (then) one of the assistant coaches at University of Iowa. Outside of my parents, Angie was really the one who helped me decide between going to the University of Iowa as a walk-on and getting a track and field scholarship, or pursuing my first passion and playing basketball and being able to do track at a Division II school at Clarion University. (She did the latter.)