Melissa Ford Gradel is the executive director of Poets & Writers, the nation’s leading service organization for creative writers. She served as the organization’s managing director from 2010 to 2020 and was appointed executive director in January 2021. Her previous roles include development director at Poets House from 2003 to 2006. As a freelance consultant she helped to raise millions of dollars for arts and cultural organizations including Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Prospect 1: New Orleans, International Center of Photography, and others. An accomplished mission-driven leader with 20+ years of experience in arts administration, she excels at strategic planning, creative problem solving, and motivating teams. Recognized for leading with integrity and transparency, superior written and verbal communications, and financial acumen, she is motivated by a deep appreciation for and dedication to the arts.