Melissa Blaustein

Melissa Blaustein is the founder and CEO of Allied for Startups, a worldwide network of advocacy organizations focused on improving the policy environment for startups. Her background in digital policy and advocacy spans the local, national, and international levels, having held roles at The White House, UN Women, UNEP, the G20 Research Group, with Fmr. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and on the team of many San Francisco politicians. Her entrepreneurial spirit has led her to take on a variety of challenges in the startup and technology space, including advising the French government on a taxation structure for the digital economy, founding San Francisco's One City Forum, a body dedicated to fostering conversations between nonprofit and technology leaders, and working as the Vice President of International Outreach at France Digitale, an association that lobbies the government on behalf of startups in France. She served on the Atlantic Council's Transatlantic Task Force for the Digital Agenda and has been a featured speaker and expert on startups and policy issues for organizations like the WTO, the European Commission, The US Russia Business Council, The Trans Atlantic Business Council, The UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, and many others. Blaustein holds a Masters Degree in Public Affairs Cum Laude from Sciences Po in Paris and an undergraduate degree in American Studies with honors from UC Berkeley. She is also a marathon swimmer.