ABOUT
Education Redefined has over three decades of experience in developing, leading, managing, and evaluating successful charter schools, non-profit organizations, and for-profit businesses. Because of the unique background of our team, we provide a multi-dimensional view of your organization. While our competitors may be experts in one industry, we bring a fresh perspective and best practices from all types of industries that can set you apart.
Our mission is to help leaders and organizations become extraordinary and understand what it takes to lead and grow successful organizations. We work with you by reviewing data to identify specific needs and provide experts in that area who can solve them at a fair price
Melissa Holdaway
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
With over twenty-five years of leadership experience in for-profit, non-profit and charter school operations and management enterprises, Mrs. Holdaway believes effective and strategic business practices are essential to support the educational needs of the students. Leaving the corporate world in 2001 to make a positive impact on education, she understands how to strategically evaluate organizations and implement proven strategies for positive change.
Prior to moving to non-profit education, Melissa was the director of underwriting for a third party administrator where she managed the direction of two internal departments and satellite offices in multiple states and build an award-winning department not only for production but employee culture. Melissa earned a Bachelor’s degree in management, an Executive MBA from Grand Canyon University and is a holds an SHRM-Senior Certified Professional certification through Society of Human Resources Management. She was inducted into the Grand Canyon University College of Business Hall of Fame in 2013.
Mrs. Holdaway believes in creating a positive culture where all stakeholders feel valued, appreciated, challenged, and have the support to grow exponentially. As a result, the organizations she has led have received many awards including being recognized by Phoenix Business Journal as one of the Valley’s “Best Place to Work", as well as Arizona Business Magazine's Arizona's Most Admired Company's for the multiple years. They also received the prestigious "Top 100" companies in Arizona and recently the CareerBuilder Top Companies to Work for in Arizona for the schools’ positive culture, diversity, academic achievement, community involvement and mission to build leaders and inspire change in students.
Passionate about creating positive change in the community, Melissa serves on many boards including Grand Canyon University College of Business Advisory Board, Arizona Charter Schools Association Advisory Board, Leadership West, and Chairs the City of Surprise Audit Committee. Melissa serves on the leadership committee for Fighter Country Partnership supporting the men and women at Luke Air Force Base.
Melissa also has served as a Commissioner for the Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education, Commissioner for the Surprise General Plan, Steering Committee for the Boys and Girls Club, and numerous committees for the Arizona Department of Education. Melissa’s awards include 2016 Outstanding Women in Business by the Phoenix Business Journal, the Arizona Charter Schools Association 2015 Business Leader of the Year, and the 2014 City of Surprise Citizen of the Year. In 2013, Melissa was named Leadership West Alumnus of the year, and Sun City Elks Citizen of the Year. Additional awards include Ken Blanchard College of Business Inspirational Leadership Award and Leadership West Project of the Year.
