Melissa Hammerle is pursuing an MBA at the Harvard Business School. She spent six years in the United States Army, where she served in the U.S. and Iraq. With experience in tactical intelligence operations in support of combat aviation and infantry units, she led the intelligence collection and fusion effort for her unit in Baghdad during 2006, the most violent year of Operation Iraqi Freedom. She also worked closely with senior allied government and military officials to ensure the security of the Iraqi Council of Representatives during its first year in operation. In 2007, Melissa served as a strategic intelligence officer, guiding policymakers on national security issues related to Latin America. Melissa earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Dartmouth College in 2003.