Melene is an attorney from South Africa. She served as an Obama Foundation leader, member of the Future Africa Forum for Governance, and spokeswoman for the Bill & Melinda Gates ONE Campaign. She is the founder of the Women Lead Movement.

Melene is an internationally recognised gender and human rights activist, global award winner, public speaker, moderator, facilitator, strategist and change-driver. She is an attorney by profession with 13 years experience in the private, governmental and non-governmental sectors. Melene graduated from the University of the Western Cape with a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) and Master of Laws (LL.M) specialising in the area of Public and Constitutional Law.