Melanie Schild

Melanie Schild is the Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI), a role she has held since 2023. She is guiding the 125-year-old organization through a period of renewal and transformation by focusing on relevance, growth, and innovation. Under her leadership, AJLI has introduced groundbreaking initiatives such as Every Woman. All Things., which address the cultural and systemic challenges contributing to women’s mental overload, and Find the Good Day, an international celebration of civic good. These initiatives highlight AJLI’s ongoing commitment to serving its 293 member Leagues and 105,000+ women leaders worldwide.

Schild is also known for her enduring commitment to advancing the confidence and leadership of women and girls. She was the visionary behind the Confidence Coalition, launched in 2009 to mobilize organizations, companies, and individuals to promote women's confidence and self-esteem. This platform became the foundation for several national initiatives that reached hundreds of thousands of members, including the Stand Beside Her Movement, Working Mother’s Day, International Day of the Caregiver, International Women’s Friendship Month, and International Girls Day. These initiatives generated national partnerships, enhanced brand visibility, inspired member pride, and secured financial sustainability.

she earned her bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Tennessee, a master’s degree in organizational communication from the University of Denver and pursued additional graduate study at Northwestern University.

Her leadership has been widely recognized. She has served as President of the Fraternity Executives Association, on the Board of Directors of the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), and as President of the NPC Executive Directors Association. She has been named one of the “50 Women Who Make a Difference” by Memphis Woman Magazine, honored as a Super Woman of Memphis, and recognized with multiple awards for her dedication to service and women’s leadership advancement.

A sought-after advisor and speaker, Schild is known as a steward of legacy and a champion of innovation. At AJLI, she is carrying forward the mission of the Junior League movement—empowering women to lead—and positioning it for impact well into its second century.