Episode Summary In this episode of Keycodes, host Dana sits down with Melinda — a veteran of public service, corporate government affairs, and now the corporate board world — for a wide-ranging conversation about building a career that moves fluidly between the public and private sectors. Melinda traces her path from a childhood in San Jose through a decade in Washington, D.C. (including a formative stint working for the late U.S. Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown), to running international trade for San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, to a 14-year run at United Airlines building the business case for new flight routes and lobbying on the company's behalf. The conversation turns personal as Melinda and Dana swap stories about Martha's Vineyard, and then flips the script entirely: Melinda turns the interview around and asks Dana about her own path from an engineering career at Johnson Controls to launching Gateway Capital's $13.5 million debut fund during COVID. The two close by explaining the origin of the Keycodes name and what listeners can expect as they begin co-hosting future episodes together. What We Cover Melinda's early years and path into government Growing up in San Jose, college at UC San Diego (La Jolla), and a master's in public administration at USC through a "traveling" program spanning LA, Sacramento, and D.C. A decade in Washington, D.C. Working under mentor Ron Brown, the late U.S. Secretary of Commerce, in the Chief of Staff's office during the Clinton administration, followed by roles at the White House and the U.S. Department of Commerce. Coming home to San Francisco Moving back to be closer to family and stepping into the role of International Trade Director for Mayor Willie Brown, leading trade delegations to San Francisco's sister cities — including China, Mexico, Paris, and London. Fourteen years at United Airlines Serving as Managing Director of Corporate and Government Affairs, working as a registered lobbyist in California, Hawaii, and San Francisco, building the business case for new routes (SFO–Austin, SFO–Delhi, and others), and navigating legislation like the passenger bill of rights. The deal — and the win — she's proudest of Building bipartisan coalitions to avoid redundant state legislation, with an assist from a state senator who later became U.S. Senator Alex Padilla. Life after United: the board world Two years at JPMorgan Chase, then striking out on her own — chairman of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, chair of the San Francisco Travel Association, and program committee co-chair of the NACD NorCal chapter. Today she serves on a clean energy tech board and advises a medical device company and an AI retail company through her own strategic advisory practice. Personal life and Martha's Vineyard A nearly 27-year family tradition on Martha's Vineyard, how Dana joined last year around a Black women in VC gathering, and a few "you'll never guess who I was talking to" stories. The tables turn: Dana's story Growing up in St. Louis, studying computer engineering at Milwaukee School of Engineering, and a technical career at Johnson Controls that led her into startup advising. Leaving her corporate job in November 2020 to launch Gateway Capital, and closing an oversubscribed $13.5 million debut fund in July 2021 — an eight-month raise conducted almost entirely during COVID lockdowns. Why Milwaukee, and why pre-seed Dana's take on why the Midwest is undervalued as a startup hub, how Gateway Capital's capital efficiency and industry-agnostic, pre-seed thesis play to that strength, and Gateway's track record . Two different superpowers Melinda on being "the connector" who lives by six degrees of separation; Dana on being "the translator" who can speak fluently to both engineers and executives. The Keycodes name and what's next Why Dana chose the name Keycodes (a nod to unlocking access for underrepresented and geographically overlooked founders, and a tie-in to Gateway Capital's mission), and the announcement that Melinda will begin co-hosting future episodes alongside Dana.
