Melissa Ballard is the Founder of AOP Talent, a boutique talent advisory firm serving organizations that demand precision, discretion, and measurable outcomes from their hiring strategy. With more than a decade of senior-level experience in executive search and enterprise talent acquisition, Melissa advises founders, private equity-backed companies, and executive leadership teams on securing high-impact talent that drives performance, scalability, and long-term enterprise value.

Before establishing AOP Talent, Melissa held senior recruiting leadership roles across both agency and in-house environments, including Vice President of Recruiting at a national executive search firm and senior talent acquisition leadership positions within complex, multi-division organizations. Her career spans executive search, workforce planning, employer branding, and large-scale recruiting operations—equipping her with the rare ability to operate seamlessly at both the strategic advisory level and the executional front line.

Melissa is recognized for building disciplined, scalable recruiting frameworks and elite talent pipelines in highly competitive markets. She has partnered directly with C-suite executives, private equity sponsors, divisional presidents, and regional leadership teams across professional services, construction and restoration, sales, operations, and corporate leadership. Her approach blends rigorous assessment, market intelligence, and precision sourcing with a high-touch, relationship-driven methodology that protects brand integrity and elevates the candidate experience.

At AOP Talent, Melissa brings a consultative, outcome-focused mindset to every engagement. She works closely with clients to establish role clarity, calibrate expectations, assess market dynamics, and position opportunities in a way that attracts top-tier talent. Her process is intentional, data-informed, and designed not simply to fill roles—but to optimize hiring decisions and strengthen the overall talent function.

Melissa holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Stephen F. Austin State University and has obtained multiple industry certifications, including Professional Recruiter Certification (PRC) and Certified Internet Recruiter (CIR) through the AIRS program. She is known for her professionalism, discretion, and ability to represent both clients and candidates with credibility at the highest levels of the market.

Through AOP Talent, Melissa delivers advisory-level recruiting solutions for organizations that view talent as a strategic advantage—not a transaction.