Melanie A. Murphy

Melanie Murphy serves as Executive Director of the Knowlton Center for Career Exploration, where she leads a nationally recognized team advancing innovative approaches to career development. A certified Designing Your Life Coach, Melanie brings a design thinking lens to strategic planning, team development, and the creation of student-centered career pathways.

Her work focuses on building systems that ensure all students have access to meaningful experiences, skill-building opportunities, and professional networks. She has helped shape major initiatives such as Denison Edge, the Journey Program, and the Career Communities model, all designed to integrate career preparation into the full student experience.

Before her work in higher education, Melanie held leadership roles in the nonprofit sector with United Way of Central Ohio and The Childhood League Center. She holds a B.A. in Communication from The Ohio State University and brings a background in nonprofit leadership, innovative program development, and coaching.