Mel Strong began her career as a first-grade teacher and journalist. A chance meeting at the Boston Marathon led to an interview for an entry-level role at Nike, where she spent 17 years. During her tenure, she led several business units, including Nike Women and Nike Skateboarding, and contributed to the launch of the Nike Running and Training Club apps.In 2017, Mel began angel investing and advising early-stage founders, and in 2019, she left Nike to co-found the venture capital firm Next Ventures. There, she focuses on innovative technology investments across health, wellness, and sports, with portfolio companies including Outside and Oura Ring, where she also served as Interim Chief Marketing Officer. She currently sits on the boards of Cofertility, Ramble Campgrounds, Sage Hospitality, and USA Cycling. She earned her BS in Education and Biology from Drexel University and her Master’s in Journalism from American University.