Melissa Milstead

As Ericsson Federal’s Chief Legal Officer, Melissa leads the company’s Legal Affairs and Compliance organization and serves as Corporate Secretary to the Board of Directors.

With more than two decades of experience as a government contracts attorney, ethics and compliance executive, and risk management professional, Melissa’s expertise spans government contracting, corporate compliance, ethics and anti-corruption, internal and government investigations, enterprise risk management, and the design and implementation of global compliance programs. Throughout her career, she has expertly developed enterprise-wide policies, training initiatives, and governance frameworks that strengthen and protect organizational integrity and support business growth.

Prior to her current role, Melissa was Head of Compliance for the Americas at Ericsson. There she led a team of compliance professionals responsible for advising business units, leadership, and customers on ethics, anti-corruption, and regulatory compliance matters across two continents. Before joining Ericsson, Melissa was General Counsel for Shimadzu America, serving as the principal legal advisor to the company, its North American affiliates, and its Japanese parent organization. Earlier in her career, she served as Associate General Counsel at McKinsey & Company, where she was lead legal counsel for the firm’s North America Public and Social Sector Practice. She also led McKinsey’s Global Public Sector legal team and served as the firm’s Global Anti-Corruption Legal Lead, overseeing a network of regional compliance attorneys.

Melissa earned her J.D. degree from the George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School and her bachelor’s degree from the University of New Mexico. She resides in Annapolis, Maryland, where she enjoys sailing and boating on the Chesapeake Bay and running with her Irish Setter.