Melissa R. Lemke is a biomedical engineer with mastery in regulatory medical device Human Factors Engineering gained through over 18 years of experience in the industry. She is the founder and principal of Human Ability Designs, LLC as well as an experienced consultant, advisor, educator, and innovator.

Melissa leads Human Ability Designs’ mission to help individuals, teams, and organizations apply rigorous Human Factors Engineering strategies and processes to launch successful medical products in the worldwide market that are safe & effective, accessible, and usable for intended end users and overall market needs.

Melissa’s passion for good design and love of human factors engineering initiated when her brother Matthew R. Lemke (Matt) sustained a spinal cord injury in 1999 while serving in the U.S. Army. Once Matt was discharged from rehabilitation and started working towards living independently, Melissa saw first-hand the challenges her brother faced using medical devices and products designed for mainstream users.

Melissa became inspired to help solve the challenges encountered by Matt and other people with disabilities who are important end users to include in the design of medical devices and healthcare products. She pursued accessible design which led to a passion for universal and inclusive design through the science and application of human factors engineering. Melissa loves inspiring and teaching others who are interested in learning about how to design medical devices and products for diverse intended users.

Company website:  humanabilitydesigns.com