“Get to know author Dr. Melanie Ho…one of the most empowering authors and visual artists right now.” - Film Daily
Writing, Art, and Media
My mission as a storyteller and creator is to spark discussion about serious social topics in way that’s relatable, empathic, and even playful.
Scroll down for a quick tour of the work I do across genres.
Check out my book — Beyond Leaning In
Quick Facts
Silver medalist in the 2022 Axiom Awards, recognizing the world’s best business books
"An engaging evolution of Sheryl Sandberg’s ‘Lean In’ mantra.” - Kirkus Reviews
Based in research, but told as a fast-paced novel
Designed to spark conversation across genders about the hidden biases that professional women continue to face
Available in paperback, e-book, and audiobook at all major online retailers
Coming Soon — University of the Surreal
A Narrative Podcast
Dispatches from a fictional campus where “business as usual” keeps ticking — even as reality quietly unravels.
A three-story-high goldfish bowl appears overnight in the quad. Courses vanish from the catalog. Watchers arrive, all smiles and clipboards. And still, the meetings, task force reports, and endless emails never stop. Why are unprecedented times also so mundane? Welcome to a campus strange enough to be from another world — and familiar enough to be your own backyard.
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Coming Soon — The Inside Man
When a group of professional women realize their workplace is rigged against them by the ultimate "boy's club," they secretly recruit a down-on-his-luck actor to infiltrate as an undercover ally. Passing him off as a hot-shot consultant from corporate headquarters, Hank's real mission is to covertly amplify the women's overlooked ideas and help them gain power. Though originally intended to even the playing field, Hank soon discovers his own presumptions and privileges as he witnesses first-hand the subtle and pervasive biases the women navigate daily.
Using humor and playfulness to reveal difficult truths, THE INSIDE MAN is a graphic novel that empowers readers to find their voice, enhance their allyship, and collaborate in new ways for change.
View My Webcomics
As a visual artist, I’ve drawn dozens of comics about feminism and DEI in the workplace. By bringing humor to emotionally-charged topics, I hope these comics spark discussion about organizational and social change.
Looking for a quick read?
My resource centers
I’ve developed a few resource pages to support leaders with critical and timely issues.
Conflict Foresight Model: Proactively address tensions before they derail your efforts.
Boundary Saboteur Self-Assessment and Roadmap: Identify and overcome the internal voices and emotional challenges that can make boundary-setting so difficult.
Bringing Values to Life: From Words to Action: Exploring how values shape culture and decision-making, even amid disruption (Special focus: higher education)
