Episode 60: Stakeholder Analysis and the Art of Listening with Melissa Sherman

Dan Swartwout is the host of Quality Time with MoreSteam. A lifelong Central Ohio resident, Dan is a double Buckeye. He earned both a BA and a law degree from The Ohio State University. Before joining MoreSteam, Dan had a long career as a host, comedian, and master of ceremonies. For 17 years, Dan was the studio audience host for the Ohio Lottery game show Cash Explosion. Dan was also the host of CBuzz, which was a collaboration between the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, WWCD 92.9, and the Columbus Dispatch. On CBuzz, Dan interviewed some of the most prominent entrepreneurs in Central Ohio. From 2002-2020, Dan toured the country as a standup comedian. Tracks from his comedy CD have been played over 5,000 times on Sirius/XM satellite radio. Now, Dan brings his experience and enthusiasm to Quality Time with MoreSteam -- it's business and fun, together.

Melissa brings over 27 years of deep operational expertise in the utility industry, spanning both Investor-Owned Utilities and Electric Cooperatives. Her career has centered on Electric and Gas Distribution Engineering, business support for Pumped Storage and River Hydro facilities, Renewable Generation, Online Scheduling for Fossil Generation, and large-scale Enterprise Change initiatives. A proven Lean practitioner and Change Management leader, Melissa has successfully implemented lean methodologies across complex environments — driving scheduling optimization, automation projects, warehouse redesigns, and value stream transformations. She excels at evaluating existing business processes, leveraging data for root cause analysis, and designing sustainable, repeatable improvements that deliver measurable results aligned with company breakthrough objectives. Passionate about developing people and organizations, Melissa is dedicated to guiding teams through their continuous improvement and change management journeys. She thrives on breaking down complex methodologies into practical, relatable terms — creating those powerful “ah-ha” moments that empower others to tackle significant challenges with confidence. Her coaching style combines technical rigor with genuine enthusiasm for helping professionals grow. Since 2008, Melissa has also served as a higher education instructor, teaching both in-seat and online courses in Management, Entrepreneurship, and Industrial Engineering. She frequently connects classroom concepts to real-world utility applications, bridging theory and industry practice.

(Picture and Bio from Melissa’s LinkedIn profile)