As a mother of a child with autism, Chief People Officer Officer Melissa Riley’s connection to the Heartspring mission goes beyond her vast professional experience and qualifications.

In 2019, Melissa joined the Heartspring team to serve through her passion for coaching and developing leaders to create hope for families affected by autism and special needs. In her role, she oversees hiring strategies, organizational culture programs and leadership development initiatives.  

Prior to Heartspring, Melissa served as a human resources director for Butler County and a human resources generalist for Wichita Technical Institute. She holds a master of business administration degree and a bachelor of science in organizational management and leadership degree from Friends University.