Q&A with Board Member Melinda Yee Franklin

Earlier this year, the team at the CalAsian Chamber welcomed Melinda Yee Franklin to our Board. Melinda is the West Region Executive, Community Engagement/Corporate Responsibility at JPMorgan
Chase. She is a thought leader and strategist with a sustained track record of successfully enhancing corporate reputation to generate sales revenue and drive business development. Melinda has been recognized by the San Francisco Business Times and more. Read the advice Melinda shared with us below, and scroll to the bottom for her full bio.

Tell me more about your role at JPMorgan Chase and what drives you.

As the West Region Executive for Community Engagement at JPMorgan Chase, I work closely with colleagues in Global Philanthropy, Government Relations, and across the firm to build sustainable relationships with local policy, community, and business leaders, advocates, and nonprofits and develop solutions that help create an inclusive economy. What drives me are opportunities to make a difference in the community, impact individual lives, and do good for society. I believe I’m in a great place to do just that in my current role.

What is your goal for making an impact in diverse communities across California?

There are many ways my team and I are striving to make an impact in diverse communities across California. We continue to identify organizations to work with communities that need support across multiple focus areas, including jobs and skills, affordable housing, small business growth, and financial health. Through the firm’s Racial Equity Commitment, we’ve already deployed or committed more than $18 billion toward our $30 billion goal. This commitment helps to address key drivers of the racial wealth gap across underserved communities throughout the state.

What’s some key advice that has helped you throughout your career?

Take risks. Don’t be overly cautious, don’t be afraid of the unknown, and trust your instincts. Take a leap of faith to go after new opportunities and take on new challenges.

Learn more about the CalAsian Board of Directors here.

Biography
Melinda Yee Franklin is a thought leader and strategist with a sustained track record of successfully enhancing corporate reputation to generate sales revenue and drive business development. She has cultivated a global network of high level corporate, government, non-profit, and civic leaders which enables her to execute on business initiatives. Through her various leadership roles, she has demonstrated strong expertise in Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG), risk and crisis management, public policy, strategic development, and international affairs.

In January, 2021, Melinda was appointed to serve as the West Region Executive, Community Engagement/Corporate Responsibility at JPMorgan Chase. She is responsible for the development and execution of the firm’s Corporate Responsibility strategy and Community Engagement efforts throughout the Western United States, including California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming. In this capacity, she leads her team’s efforts to shape business initiatives and investments to support local communities and to drive the firm’s impact. Prior to United, she held executive positions at The Siena Group and Meet World Trade where she advised organizations on strategic investment, marketing, human resources, and business development initiatives. She was also a White House presidential appointee in the Clinton Administration and served as a senior international trade official with the City and County of San Francisco.

In 2021 and 2019, she was named one of the most influential women in Bay Area Business by the San Francisco Business Times. She is the immediate past Chair of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. She is also a past Chair of the San Francisco Travel Association and sits on the boards of the San Francisco Opera and the National Association of Corporate Directors, Northern California Chapter.

Since 2006, she served as the Managing Director of Corporate and Government Affairs for the Western Region for United Airlines. She was the company’s lead advocate on corporate and policy issues in the region. She lead legislative strategy on privacy, tax and other critical business issues that impacted the aviation industry.

Prior to United, she held executive positions at The Siena Group and Meet World Trade where she advised organizations on strategic investment, marketing, human resources, and business development initiatives. She was also a White House presidential appointee in the Clinton Administration and served as a senior international trade official with the City and County of San Francisco.

In 2021 and 2019, she was named one of the most influential women in Bay Area Business by the San Francisco Business Times. She is the immediate past Chair of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. She is also a past Chair of the San Francisco Travel Association and sits on the boards of the San Francisco Opera and the National Association of Corporate Directors, Northern California Chapter.