Melisa Duardo expands from school leadership into entrepreneurship

Influential Women is highlighting Melisa Duardo, a West Covina educational leader who has moved from K-12 school roles into business ownership and women’s empowerment work. Her story centers on leadership, mental health, faith and a push to help students and women build confidence.

Why it matters: - Duardo’s path shows how leadership skills built in schools can translate into entrepreneurship, mentorship and community advocacy. - Her work also puts women’s empowerment and mental health alongside education as core parts of long-term leadership.

What happened: - Influential Women spotlighted Melisa Duardo, a West Covina, California, education leader and business owner, on July 7, 2026. - Duardo has nearly 20 years of experience in K-12 education. - Her career has included roles as teacher’s assistant, child development program assistant, teacher, resource teacher, site supervisor and elementary school principal. - Duardo recently launched a spray tanning business. - Duardo is also organizing women’s empowerment events and sharing her story as a Latina, single mother and advocate for women’s leadership.

The details: - Duardo says her education career taught her how to build supportive environments where students and staff feel valued. - She describes adaptability, emotional intelligence and balancing competing priorities as leadership skills that matter across education, business, nonprofit work and corporate settings. - Duardo grew up in a family rooted in education. - Her father was a principal and her stepmother was a superintendent. - Duardo says her late mother, who died of cancer when Duardo was 19, remains a major influence on her resilience and outlook. - Her support system includes her father, stepmother, two older sisters and aunt. - Duardo says her faith, family and personal reflection help her stay grounded. - She attends church with her children and values their spiritual growth. - Through her business, Duardo says she connects with women from different backgrounds and helps them build confidence and practice self-care. - She encourages women to seek mentorship and protect their emotional well-being as part of sustainable leadership. - More information is available through Melisa Duardo’s Influential Women profile.

Between the lines: - Duardo’s story ties professional advancement to personal identity, showing how education, motherhood, faith and cultural identity can shape a public leadership message. - The emphasis on women of color and intentional self-care suggests her platform is aimed at both inspiration and practical support, not just visibility. - Her move into business ownership also signals a broader career strategy that is not limited to school administration.

What's next: - Duardo says she wants to keep growing in leadership, either by moving into district-level roles such as superintendent or by expanding her impact in the corporate sector. - Her stated focus remains empowering others and leading with purpose.

The bottom line: - Duardo is building a career that connects school leadership, entrepreneurship and women’s empowerment into one message: leadership is influence, not just title.