Melissa Milton

I’m an engineering and operations leader with 20+ years of experience delivering complex programs on time and within budget while improving process performance and driving growth. I lead internal and external teams to turn strategy into execution that measurably impacts results.

As Senior Director, Engineering & Operations at Aquestive, I’ve improved delivery performance and contributed to a 28% increase in company revenue. I implemented a Product Development Process to reduce cycle time and program risk, managed $13M annual budgets, and directed risk management planning to prevent delays and mitigate cost overruns. I also oversaw development of 20+ products and enabled 13 commercial launches across the US, Brazil, EU, and Canada.

I focus on building strong technical foundations and modernizing how teams operate. I established capabilities for revenue generation, improved on-time delivery by 50% through enhanced capacity planning and communication, and streamlined manufacturing workflows to increase operational efficiency by 20%. I also achieved $250K in annual savings through contract renegotiations, energy-saving programs, and risk-based testing strategies.

Earlier in my career, I strengthened my technical depth through technology transfer, validation, and process engineering. I scaled four products from bench to commercial production, authored CMC sections for regulatory submissions, and led commissioning, qualification, and validation programs including a Validation Master Plan. I’m committed to mentoring teams and advancing modernization initiatives that improve yield, reduce defects, and support regulatory readiness.