Kevin Melton
Kevin Melton (LinkedIn) is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Pax Strategies, an advisory firm that helps governments, investors, and companies navigate conflict risk and unlock sustainable investment in fragile markets. He has over 20 years of experience spanning international development, national security, frontier finance, and entrepreneurship.
He previously served in senior roles at USAID, the Department of Defense, and NATO. At USAID, he led strategy and partnerships in the Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization (CPS), overseeing implementation of the Global Fragility Act, the Women, Peace, and Security Act, and the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocity Prevention Act. He co-authored the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability and the Stabilization Assistance Review, directed a more than $800 million global portfolio, mobilized more than $30 million in donor co-financing, and established the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation’s Fragility Investment Unit.
Melton has worked on the ground in places such as South Sudan, Afghanistan, Syria, across West Africa and the Middle East, and brings a unique perspective from having operated at every level – designing policy in Washington, leading international coalitions, and implementing local solutions alongside community leaders. He has served as a trusted advisor to cabinet-level officials, four-star commanders, and multilateral institutions. He is a Rotary Peace Fellow and Truman National Security Fellow, and has taught at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School and George Mason University.
