Dr. Melody Ivory is a poet and the first Black woman to earn a PhD in computer science from UC Berkeley with a dissertation that explored the intersection of human-computer interaction and data science to elevate web design. She also holds an MBA from Wharton Business School and a BS in computer science and math with honors from Purdue University.

Dr. Ivory has over two decades of experience in data science and ethics, software technology and tech education across industries and organizations like GE and Microsoft. She’s been a Google innovation facilitator and product manager for consumer electronics and software. She’s an inaugural Bill and Melinda Gates scholar and former University of Washington professor.

She is currently the founder of Thrivafy, a lifestyle technology and pending certified benefit company. At Thrivafy, she’s disrupting the status quo for the marginalized majority with smart solutions to enlighten and empower us all to stop settling — in life, at work and with tech. She’s the author of a memoir-exposé coming in 2022 titled “Why Tech Sucks (and How Sustainable Disruption Can #ElevateTechWellness)”.