Melissa Wheeler

Dr Melissa A. Wheeler is a Senior Lecturer and Executive MBA Program Director at RMIT University, with a PhD in social psychology from the University of Melbourne. Her research explores workplace flexibility, gender roles in work and care, leading with purpose, and responsible leadership, with publications in top ranking journals such as Leadership Quarterly, Journal of Business Ethics, and Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. She is also a regular contributor to Forbes, Psychology Today, and The Conversation, writing on leadership strategy and the future of work.  

Dedicated to social impact, Melissa is Associate Editor for the Australian Journal of Management, a Board Member of the Frankston Social Enterprise & Innovation Hub, and Programme Accreditation Peer Reviewer for EFMD Global. Within RMIT, she is Chair of the RMIT Women Researchers’ Network Steering Committee, Gender Theme Lead at the Business and Human Rights Research Centre (BHRIGHT), and founder of RMIT’s Social Enterprise Research Network. She received the 2025 College of Business and Law Deputy Vice-Chancellor Award and was named a RMIT Media Stars Top Performer in 2024 and 2025.

Melissa partners with industry leaders including Siemens ANZ and Social Traders to co-create and deliver impactful learning experiences. Her excellence in teaching has been recognised by multiple awards from RMIT, University of Melbourne, and Swinburne University of Technology.