When Melissa McCormick, ‘18 M.Ed. Higher Education, walks into a room, people don't always assume she's a CEO.

At 32, she’s not just leading Nevada State High School, one of the top charter schools in the state; she’s one of  Vegas Inc’s 40 Under 40 for 2026. 

Under Melissa’s leadership, staff turnover has fallen from over 60% each year to less than 10%, and the school's five-star academic performance remains strong.

Drawn to higher education while working as an academic advising intern for Division 1 athletes at Towson University, Melissa developed a passion for helping students succeed. 

However, she never imagined her journey into higher education would ultimately lead her to the executive office. 

Following Her Passion

Born and raised in the tougher parts of Las Vegas, Melissa prides herself on being the first person in her family to earn a master's degree. 

As a sociology major, she was inspired by her undergraduate professors, who were mostly part-time instructors balancing careers in the field with teaching. After her stint at Towson in Maryland, she returned home and enrolled in the higher education master’s program with aspirations of working in student-athlete academic services. The university was pursuing top-tier research status at the time, and she wanted to be a part of the growth and competitive spirit. 

Melissa also worked as a graduate assistant at the Academic Success Center, where she learned how to balance student advocacy with institutional policies, skills that helped her climb the ladder and continue to influence her work. 

Bottom to Top

Melissa became a student success advisor at Nevada State High School in 2020. She loved the school’s high rating for its dual enrollment program, which serves 11th- and 12th-grade students, but there were drawbacks.

“You’d make a connection with a colleague today, and the next day they are gone,” she said. 

As staff vacancies occurred, she found opportunities to grow– volunteering to fill gaps and amassing experience in nearly every department. Her can-do attitude and persistence eventually landed her in the CEO chair last year.

Rewriting the Story

Since she’s been in the driver’s seat, she's tackling the root cause of staff turnover. 

“We realized that communication was inconsistent and people didn’t have clear directives.” 

So, she focused on establishing clarity and building camaraderie across all nine campuses through newsletters, consistent messaging, and listening to the staff. 

Her leadership philosophy extends beyond clear communication. Rather than requiring employees to continually prove themselves, she believes leaders should trust the people they hire and support them in their growth. 

Melissa’s efforts have yielded results that have not only increased retention rates but also improved the work environment. 

In five to ten years, Melissa hopes to grow the school to serve 10th-grade students, grow beyond Nevada, and foster a work environment where employees feel trusted, valued, and empowered.

Written by: Sakina Musa