Melissa Yeager

Melissa Yeager is Co-Founder and Executive Director of Claire's Place Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing support to children and families affected by cystic fibrosis (CF). She co-founded the foundation with her late daughter Claire Wineland, who passed away from cystic fibrosis in 2018 at age 21. Claire was an activist, speaker, philanthropist and author who lived with CF her entire life.

In March 2025, Melissa Yeager was named Nonprofit Executive of the Year (Emerging) by the Los Angeles Business Journal at the 2025 Nonprofit & Corporate Citizenship Awards. Following Claire's passing in 2018, Melissa courageously chose to carry on her daughter's legacy, expanding the organization's reach and deepening its impact.

Under Melissa's leadership, the foundation has launched several groundbreaking initiatives, including the Work Proudly Program, which provides adults with CF and caregivers with job training and the tools they need to obtain flexible, remote employment. Melissa single-handedly planned the foundation's first fundraising gala and collaborated on two feature films to raise awareness for CF.

Career history

• Co-Founder and Executive Director, Claire's Place Foundation (2013–present)
• Project Manager, Dixon Construction, Inc. (January 2008 – January 2011)
• Executive Assistant to the Office Managing Partner, Heidrick & Struggles (January 2002 – January 2005)
• Executive Assistant to CEO, Asia Global Crossing Ltd (January 1999 – January 2002)

Melissa Yeager holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) in Marketing/Public Relations from Ashford University. She brings 15 years of professional experience.

What Melissa Yeager could bring to her role at Claire's Place Foundation: Melissa's diverse background, spanning corporate executive support roles at prominent firms like Heidrick & Struggles and Asia Global Crossing, project management at Dixon Construction, and over 15 years in nonprofit leadership, positions her to bring strategic organizational acumen, relationship-building expertise, and operational excellence to Claire's Place Foundation. Her deep personal understanding of cystic fibrosis, combined with proven fundraising and event planning capabilities, enables her to lead the foundation's mission with authentic conviction and measurable impact for the CF community.

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