With a background in education, leadership and finance, Melina Denebeim has a passion for empowering people and organizations to reach their highest potential. At Columbia Business School, she co-directs the Program for Financial Studies (PFS) and Master of Science in Financial Economics (MSFE).

Prior to her work as an educator and executive coach (MFL Coaching LLC) she worked in capital markets and M&A advisory for 8 years at banks including Credit Suisse and Guggenheim Securities. At the Business School she teaches "Effective Communication" and facilitates “Creative Destruction in Financial Services” with Professor Charles Calomiris, and created a seminar on leadership in investment banking, held each spring through the career management center. Melina has co-authored a Columbia CaseWorks technical note on LBO Valuation.

Melina is pursuing an Ed.D in adult learning and leadership at Teachers Collage, Columbia University. She earned an MBA from Columbia Business School and BA in English Literature from Georgetown University. She is also trained through the Neuroleadership Institute in brain-based coaching. Melina is an advisor to Savvy Ladies, an organization that provides free financial education and resources to women with the goal of empowering them to achieve financial independence.