Melissa V. Abad

I am a sociologist whose work examines the strategies women of color employ to navigate the organization of work and how workplace policies influence their journeys. My work builds bridges between organizational theory and intersectionality to explore the relationship between people of color and their workplaces. I center the experiences of women of color professionals. Making visible their experiences is to identify the strategies they use to manage the tension-filled relationship. By revealing these, I am able to identify the labor market and organizational practices that constrain their professional advancement efforts. 

​

​

I have shared findings at academic conferences, at corporate workshops, and diversity and leadership conferences including but not limited to the American Sociological Association, Grace Hopper Celebration, Latinx in Tech, SIGGRAPH Diversity Summit,  California Latina Leadership Institute, and the Silicon Valley Latina Coalition. 

​

Currently, I am a social science research scholar the Stanford VMware Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab and lead their intersectional leadership agenda.