During Women’s History Month, Inspire celebrates the stories of our corporate and franchise team members, as well as franchisees as we reflect on the significant roles that women have played in shaping American history. 

Today, we spoke with Melissa Bruce, who is a Regional Vice President and has worked on the Dunkin’ brand for more than five years. She is also a member of the Dunkin’ and Baskin-Robbins Women’s Integrated Network Employee Resource Group (wIN ERG), which is dedicated to uniting team members to empower and accelerate the development of women leaders, build community, and drive innovation that grows share of the women’s market.

Why is being a member of the wIN ERG important to you?  

I believe we all lead regardless of our position. It’s a matter of learning how to craft our skills with confidence to lead and make a difference in our brand whether as a brand team member, a franchisee or a restaurant team member.

What are your goals as a member of this wIN ERG?  

As the sponsor of the Midwest region chapter, I want to give back and empower the women and men in the region.

What does Women’s History Month mean to you?  

A chance for women in society to share their story and empower others to be their best.

How are you celebrating women’s achievements?  

Celebrating the women on our team with a personal note of gratitude.

Is there a particular woman in history that has influenced you in either your personal life or career? 

My mother. She worked nights and put herself through college while raising my brother and me. A woman who went to college to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing, a master’s degree in the medical field and a doctorate degree in psychology. She taught me to go after what I wanted in life, that I could accomplish anything if I focused on learning what I needed to get where I wanted to be. She saw something in me I didn’t recognize at an early age. She encouraged me and called me a leader when I had no idea what that really meant. 

A challenged world is an alert world and from challenge comes change. How can you help forge a gender equal world?  

We are a make-up of how we were born, how we were raised, and who has had an influence on us. We all must share our stories as our lives are like books. Each decade, a chapter in those books make up who we are. No one gets to where they are alone. We have had people in our lives who influenced us personally and professionally. No matter what that looks like for each of us, we learn from those experiences and as a result we owe it to others to give back. You never know how you impacted a person. What you say may not matter, but how you said it will. That stays with people. I try my best to give back. 

To learn more about career opportunities at Inspire, visit careers.inspirebrands.com.