Melissa Floca is the Director of Strategic Partnerships at the CICORE Division of the San Diego Supercomputer Center at UC San Diego. In her role, she brings together policymakers, practitioners, and researchers around complex challenges that require cyberinfrastructure and digital technologies for solutions at scale. She works on a range of research projects and experiential education efforts related to disaster response and mitigation. Prior to joining the San Diego Supercomputer Center, Melissa served as the Associate Director of UC San Diego’s Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies, where she led the development and implementation of the Center’s academic programming and research agenda. During her time there, she focused on issues of education, workforce development, and economic competitiveness and directed the Mexican Migration Field Research Program. Before joining UC San Diego in 2013, Melissa worked at the Mexico City-based office of McKinsey & Company, serving clients on projects related to financial inclusion, public health, and low-income housing. Melissa sits on the International Affairs Board of the City of San Diego and the Board of Directors of Create Purpose. She is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and Columbia Business School.