Melissa Saavedra

Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) recently appointed Melissa Saavedra as director of its Office of Entrepreneurship.

Formerly, Saavedra served as the deputy director of the Nevada Lieutenant Governor’s Office of Small Business Advocacy (OSBA), where she led efforts to support small businesses across Nevada. Appointed by former Lieutenant Governor Lisa Cano Burkhead as program manager when OSBA launched, Saavedra was promoted to deputy director within nine months under the leadership of Lieutenant Governor Stavros Anthony.

During her three-year tenure in that role, Saavedra served as the primary point of contact for Northern Nevada’s small business community, helping hundreds of small businesses navigate challenges related to licensing and regulations. She remains a passionate advocate for entrepreneurship and economic growth, which will inform her leadership in her new position at the Office of Entrepreneurship.

Saavedra also has over a decade of experience in publishing and media. She previously served as associate publisher and senior business development manager for the Northern Nevada Business Weekly, leading Nevada’s only business-to-business newspaper while building strong partnerships with regional organizations and agencies.