Melissa ‘Mel’ SandersonMelissa ‘Mel’ Sanderson
Board member CVMR (USA)
Linkedin
[email protected] | +1 370 262 7688
Melissa "Mel" Sanderson is a globally recognized leader and advisor specializing in geopolitics and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies, with a career that spans over four decades. She has made significant contributions across multiple sectors, including mining, critical minerals, and international relations, leveraging her deep expertise in sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, and strategic foresight. Fluent in four languages, Melissa’s work has placed her at the forefront of the global critical minerals sector, where she is a sought-after speaker and consultant.
Melissa’s career began in the US Foreign Service, where she served from 1985 to 2006, occupying key diplomatic roles that shaped US foreign policy across Latin America, Europe, and Africa. During her tenure, she played an instrumental role in re-establishing US-DRC relations post-conflict while stationed at the American Embassy in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Her efforts helped facilitate the country's first democratic elections in over 40 years. She also held significant positions at the American Embassy in Moscow, where she ensured Russian compliance with weapons of mass destruction reduction treaties and oversaw programs aimed at employing former Russian weapons scientists. Melissa's diplomatic work further extended to Poland and Canada, where she was involved in Poland’s NATO membership preparations and engaged with Quebec’s separatist movement.
Transitioning into the private sector, Melissa took on leadership roles in the mining industry. As VP for Africa and subsequently Director of International Affairs for Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE: FCX), she developed and executed global strategies that merged government relations with sustainable development initiatives. Her work extended to managing Freeport’s engagement with Indigenous communities in North America, ensuring that corporate activities aligned with best practices in ESG and stakeholder relations.
In 2020, Melissa founded Sanderson Consulting LLC, where she advises companies on sustainable development and ESG+ solutions. Her proprietary ESG+ framework integrates cultural understanding and professional respect with sustainability goals. Over the years, she has worked with major industry players such as Rio Tinto Group (NYSE: RIO) and smaller exploration companies like Advanced Materials LLC, providing strategic guidance on government relations, capital markets, and sustainability.
In addition to her consulting work, Melissa serves as a Director for American Rare Earths Limited (ASX: ARR | OTCQB: ARRNF), where she focuses on government relations, ESG, and strategic vision. As the company’s Interim President for North America in 2023, she led a business transformation, enhancing investor relations and expanding the company’s profile within the critical minerals sector. Her leadership has positioned American Rare Earths as a key player in the rare earths value chain, with an emphasis on sectors such as defense and technology.
Melissa’s influence extends into academia, where she serves as a Professor of Practice at the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University, educating future leaders on the role of international organizations such as the United Nations and World Bank in global governance and sustainability. Her thought leadership is widely recognized, with contributions featured in prominent outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and Reuters. She has spoken at the FT Energy Summit (2023 and 2024) and the Future Minerals Forum 2025 in Riyadh and the upcoming International Critical Minerals Expo & CMI Summit IV in Toronto, reflecting her standing as a leading expert in critical minerals and geopolitics.
Her board memberships include being Co-Chair of the Critical Minerals Institute (CMI), where she drives innovation and policy in the critical minerals sector, focusing on securing sustainable supply chains and advancing ESG principles. Melissa’s career is a testament to her ability to bridge the worlds of diplomacy, corporate strategy, and sustainability, making her a highly sought-after advisor and speaker on the global stage.
[email protected] | +1 370 262 7688
Melissa "Mel" Sanderson is a globally recognized leader and advisor specializing in geopolitics and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies, with a career that spans over four decades. She has made significant contributions across multiple sectors, including mining, critical minerals, and international relations, leveraging her deep expertise in sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, and strategic foresight. Fluent in four languages, Melissa’s work has placed her at the forefront of the global critical minerals sector, where she is a sought-after speaker and consultant.
Melissa’s career began in the US Foreign Service, where she served from 1985 to 2006, occupying key diplomatic roles that shaped US foreign policy across Latin America, Europe, and Africa. During her tenure, she played an instrumental role in re-establishing US-DRC relations post-conflict while stationed at the American Embassy in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Her efforts helped facilitate the country's first democratic elections in over 40 years. She also held significant positions at the American Embassy in Moscow, where she ensured Russian compliance with weapons of mass destruction reduction treaties and oversaw programs aimed at employing former Russian weapons scientists. Melissa's diplomatic work further extended to Poland and Canada, where she was involved in Poland’s NATO membership preparations and engaged with Quebec’s separatist movement.
Transitioning into the private sector, Melissa took on leadership roles in the mining industry. As VP for Africa and subsequently Director of International Affairs for Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE: FCX), she developed and executed global strategies that merged government relations with sustainable development initiatives. Her work extended to managing Freeport’s engagement with Indigenous communities in North America, ensuring that corporate activities aligned with best practices in ESG and stakeholder relations.
In 2020, Melissa founded Sanderson Consulting LLC, where she advises companies on sustainable development and ESG+ solutions. Her proprietary ESG+ framework integrates cultural understanding and professional respect with sustainability goals. Over the years, she has worked with major industry players such as Rio Tinto Group (NYSE: RIO) and smaller exploration companies like Advanced Materials LLC, providing strategic guidance on government relations, capital markets, and sustainability.
In addition to her consulting work, Melissa serves as a Director for American Rare Earths Limited (ASX: ARR | OTCQB: ARRNF), where she focuses on government relations, ESG, and strategic vision. As the company’s Interim President for North America in 2023, she led a business transformation, enhancing investor relations and expanding the company’s profile within the critical minerals sector. Her leadership has positioned American Rare Earths as a key player in the rare earths value chain, with an emphasis on sectors such as defense and technology.
Melissa’s influence extends into academia, where she serves as a Professor of Practice at the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University, educating future leaders on the role of international organizations such as the United Nations and World Bank in global governance and sustainability. Her thought leadership is widely recognized, with contributions featured in prominent outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and Reuters. She has spoken at the FT Energy Summit (2023 and 2024) and the Future Minerals Forum 2025 in Riyadh and the upcoming International Critical Minerals Expo & CMI Summit IV in Toronto, reflecting her standing as a leading expert in critical minerals and geopolitics.
Her board memberships include being Co-Chair of the Critical Minerals Institute (CMI), where she drives innovation and policy in the critical minerals sector, focusing on securing sustainable supply chains and advancing ESG principles. Melissa’s career is a testament to her ability to bridge the worlds of diplomacy, corporate strategy, and sustainability, making her a highly sought-after advisor and speaker on the global stage.