Melissa Carvalho set out to fill a gap on her resume. She ended up building something far bigger.
A Connecticut native and first-generation Portuguese-American, Carvalho is pursuing her PhD at Capella University in industrial and organizational psychology, the science of how people and workplaces function. In March 2026, just as she began her doctoral program, she also launched a venture of her own: Nova Foundations.
What she first imagined as a minor project grew quickly. Running underneath it is a single, steady purpose that has guided her since her first healthcare job at just 16: helping people, in whatever form the work takes.
"I began Nova Foundations in March of this year, anticipating it to be a small idea to fill in the gap on my resume," she says. "As the days went on, the ideas around Nova Foundations began to grow."
A Mission That Began at 16
Building Nova Foundations drew on experience Carvalho had been gathering for years. She points to a specific set of strengths that made the venture possible.
"Scientific expertise, senior leadership, and board advisory were among the most important skills I needed to achieve this goal," she says. "I ended up using all the skills and knowledge I had acquired since I first started working in healthcare at 16."
Looking back across that arc, from a young healthcare worker to a founder and doctoral student, she found one motivation holding it all together.
"In reflecting on my career, it became clear to me that my mission was to help people; it didn't matter how I did it, just that it was part of my day-to-day life," she says.
That mission now anchors Nova Foundations, which is a space to help individuals and organizations turn passion into meaningful action and grow as leaders. She is encouraged by the early traction.
"I'm thrilled and excited that I have started this small business and appreciate the recognition I have received so far," she says.
Leading as Your Full Self
For Carvalho, the leaders worth admiring are the ones who make room for people to be themselves. That value is personal, as she talks about how important it is as a neurodivergent person to never stray from her authentic self.
"As someone from the ND community, I think it's worth showing how difficult it can be at times," she says. "The world feels much better when we can just be ourselves."
Asked who she looks up to, she names a high-profile example and the qualities she values in his leadership.
"Elon Musk. I feel he is a very transparent, calm, and open leader, which I appreciate," she says. "He has also recognized the importance of including neurodivergent leadership."
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Speaking Up and Doing the (Hard) Work
Carvalho's definition of leadership is about having courage and putting in the time even if the work isn't coming easy.
"Leadership means speaking up when no one else will," she says. "It means listening to others, providing an example, and doing so with respect. It requires continuous application and learning for someone to remain a truly authentic leader."
That willingness to step into the hard moments echoes a piece of advice that has stayed with her.
"Sometimes you have to do the work that no one else wants to do, and that is what is going to set you apart from the others," she says. "Pushing through something that other people are unwilling to navigate on their own."
A Future of Growth and Seeing the World
As she builds Nova Foundations and works through her doctorate, Carvalho credits the NSLS with sharpening her sense of what she brings to the table.
"The NSLS has made me a better leader by helping me recognize my own unique leadership qualities and to also redefine my strengths," she says.
Her immediate focus is finishing what she started.
"My next goal is to finish my PhD in I/O psychology, currently in my second semester," she says. "Just keeping focused and pushing through, reminding myself of my ultimate goal."
Beyond the doctorate, she has her sights set on the classroom, and on the world.
"My most recent long-term goal is to become a tenured professor, but my lifelong goal is to travel to at least 7 different countries and learn a little bit of each language before traveling," she says.
Melissa's Advice for Future Leaders
Carvalho's advice for the next generation of leaders comes down to two habits she believes work best together.
"My best advice would be to listen and learn, even if the advice or feedback is not what you expected," she says.
And she makes sure to clarify that this is not a habit to ever grow out of.
"My other piece of advice would be to never stop doing both in tandem. Listening to others makes you an effective leader, but learning from mistakes and exploring new possibilities will make you the leader you aspire to be."
That instinct to build something of your own, often before you feel ready, can lead to some of the best ideas. Meet Maria Rodriguez-Estrada next, who grew a passion for cooking into a catering operation, a cafeteria pop-up, and an online business, all while earning her degree.
