Melissa Dawn Simkins Biography

Melissa Dawn Simkins is recognized for her work in personal brand leadership and leadership development. Simkins serves as CEO of Velvet Suite, a leadership innovation firm focused on advancing business performance through people. Velvet Suite has worked with organizations including Boston Scientific, Lincoln Financial, Home Depot, Southern Company, and the National Basketball Association, as well as with celebrities and professional athletes, to deliver results in leadership strategy and brand-building.

Simkins is the author of "Brand Me. Make Your Mark: The Ultimate Playbook for Personal Branding," which outlines her approach to personal branding and leadership. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in public relations from Otterbein University and a Master of Science in integrated marketing communications from Northwestern University. Simkins is a keynote speaker on topics such as leadership innovation, personal branding, and workplace culture, and has contributed to Inc.com and appeared on media outlets including CNN, HLN, MSNBC, Essence, and Black Enterprise.

Simkins was the first African American female advisory board member for World Brand Congress in Mumbai. In partnership with the NFL, Velvet Suite created NFL Player Brand University, a personal brand development academy in professional sports. As an ed-tech founder and author, Simkins's work through Velvet Suite has reached more than 250,000 leaders in 26 countries and has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 list. She has received recognition from the National Association of Market Developers as Entrepreneur of the Year and has been named to Atlanta's Women of Power & Influence.

Simkins is the founder of The She-Suite, a Velvet Suite platform focused on supporting women in leadership and workplace well-being. She also founded The Brand Leadership Institute, an online platform that integrates coaching, content, and community to advance women in the workplace. The Brand Leadership Institute serves women leaders and their managers in 26 countries. Simkins has served on the Board of Trustees at Otterbein University, the Board of Directors for the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, and the Board of Directors for The SHRM Foundation, contributing to the fields of leadership, branding, and the future of work.

BOOK Melissa Dawn Simkins

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 10/13/2026.

Melissa Dawn Simkins Speaking Topics

  • The M.V.P Mentality

    Champion-Level Leadership

  • The She-Suite Method

    Advancing Beyond the Gap

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Melissa Dawn Simkins Videos

Get motivated with She-Suite Summit's founder Melissa Dawn Simkins

Get motivated with She-Suite Summit's founder Melissa Dawn Simkins

Melissa Dawn Simkins is our special guest for Minute Motivation, she focuses on giving your self a reset.

A Conversation with Melissa Dawn Simkins

A Conversation with Melissa Dawn Simkins

Next up on 'Break Through with Lisa Gable', we're joined by the "first lady of personal branding'" and Founder of Velvet Suite, Melissa Dawn Simkins....

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Melissa Dawn Simkins is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as The M.V.P Mentality, The She-Suite Method, Brand Me, Resilience and 90-Day Action Plan. The estimated speaking fee range to book Melissa Dawn Simkins for your event is $30,000 - $50,000. Melissa Dawn Simkins generally travels from Northern Virginia, VA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Cassandra Worthy, Kristie Kennedy, Orlena Nwokah Blanchard, Erik Qualman and Arielle Patrick. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Melissa Dawn Simkins for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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