Melissa Vykoukal brings 20 years of experience as an executive leader, researcher, and consultant to her role as Founder and CEO of Her Playbook Rewrite. Holding a PhD in Social Justice Education from the University of Toronto, she infuses data-informed equity research into every service the firm offers.

Melissa's background spans high-level institutional leadership and global consulting, specializing in navigating complex organizational change and systemic equity.

Her leadership and client history includes:

• The United Nations Population Fund | Senior Anti-Racist Consultant

• The United Nations Secretariat | Anti-Racist Consultant

• Brock University | Director of Human Rights and Equity

• The Ontario Water Works Association | Equity Consultant

Strategic Consultations for Organizations

Melissa supports a diverse range of clients, from local private organizations to global entities, helping them build deeply inclusive, future-ready workplaces. She approaches each engagement with a customized strategy tailored to the organization’s unique needs, with specialized expertise in designing cutting-edge menopause inclusion frameworks and systemic equity strategies. While Her Playbook Rewrite meets each client exactly where they are on their equity journey, Melissa equips leadership teams with global legal, corporate, and intersectional equity standards, empowering them to make highly informed, non-oppressive decisions that safeguard and elevate their workforce.

Coaching for Women

As a premier coaching firm, Her Playbook Rewrite adheres to the International Coaching Federation’s (ICF) core competencies. Melissa is completing her coaching education at Canada Coach Academy and she is currently advancing toward her Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential with the ICF to ensure the firm models the highest ethical and professional standards in the industry. Melissa's coaching education and PhD in Social Justice Education allow her to provide coaching for women from all diverse backgrounds as they navigate complex transitions during midlife. Her Playbook Rewrite supports all midlife women. We recognize the many pressures women experience to conform to society's expectations and we are here to affirm you as you explore your creativity and wisdom, and center your wellness in your second half of life.

Melissa’s Journey

Melissa was inspired to create Her Playbook Rewrite after undergoing her own midlife transition. At midlife, she was inspired to change careers, get a divorce, get remarried, and relocate from Canada to the United States and then to France. Melissa currently resides in France and continues to learn about herself and what it means to live her own authentic, rich life. She is currently learning Czech and French, and continues to work on her own health and wellness while supporting a global community of midlife women.