If you had told Melinda Locklear early in her career, when she was working as an organic chemist, that one day she’d help lead North Carolina’s largest organ donation and tissue recovery organization, she’d probably think you were crazy. With no personal connection to organ donation at the time, the idea of working in this field wasn’t even on her radar. But as HonorBridge’s Chief Support Officer (CSO), Melinda has found her true calling.
Melinda’s journey began in the pharmaceutical world, where she spent over a decade working in operations and compliance. Though the work was meaningful, she still felt like something was missing.
“I was just too far away from actually helping people,” she says. “I wanted to make a more direct impact.”
That moment came in 2003 when, while living in Greenville and browsing newspaper ads, she stumbled across a job opening with HonorBridge. The rest, as they say, is history.
Fast-forward 20+ years, and Melinda is still here—only now she leads a 26-person team supporting everything from information and quality services to organizational excellence. “I’ve technically had the same position since I started,” she says with a laugh, “it just keeps growing and changing.”
While Melinda’s title of “Chief Support Officer” might sound a bit mysterious and daunting, she’s quick to break it down.
“I oversee three main teams: Information Systems, Quality Systems, and Strategy & Operational Excellence,” she explains. “Our goal is to make sure our front-line staff have the tools, systems, and support they need to save and heal lives. That means everything from keeping our networks secure to finding ways to improve internal processes.”
It’s largely behind-the-scenes work, but Melinda’s team ensures that donation and transplantation happen as simply and easily as possible.
“Over her committed tenure at HonorBridge, Melinda has transformed our Quality and Information Systems and led the implementation of Strategic Excellence,” said HonorBridge President & CEO Danielle Bumarch. “Due to her leadership, HonorBridge has been consistently applauded on audits and surveys as demonstrating and leading many best practices.”
Melinda’s influence extends well beyond her own department, but she is quick to brag about her own team and the dedication they bring to their work.
“I’m really fortunate to have a team full of people who are where they want to be,” she says. “We really view ourselves as being service-oriented. We feel a strong connection to Honorbridge’s mission, because we know that in doing our jobs well, it helps Honorbridge do well.”
If you ask Melinda what she’s most passionate about today, she’ll give you two answers: mentoring future leaders and digging into data.
“I love helping grow the people who will eventually take over my responsibilities. I’m not young anymore, so that’s where a lot of my energy goes now,” she says. “I also enjoy using data and informatics to learn about what it is we do and how we can do it better. Because data in and of itself doesn’t tell you anything, you have to understand the relationship between the data that you’re looking at and the process or the product. I love that intersection.”
Over her two decades at HonorBridge, Melinda has seen plenty of change, but what stands out the most to her is the culture.
“We’ve always had a good culture, but especially under Danielle’s leadership, the culture is really invested in our team,” she says. “It goes well beyond just being a job here at Honorbridge. The team is just incredible. It’s such a positive place to work, and I really appreciate that.”
And she’s not just talking about internal camaraderie—Melinda is also deeply moved by how the organization cares for its donor families.
“My most important job has actually been being a mother,” she says. “My kids are now 28, 30, and my stepsons are in their 40s. So, to see how HonorBridge helps mothers who experience loss is very meaningful to me. I would really love it if more people understood how the employees at Honorbridge really care about what it is we’re doing and understand our hearts and our service to donor families and those on the waiting list.”
When Melinda’s not guiding strategic planning, overseeing compliance or safeguarding data, she’s likely found unwinding in her kitchen and whipping up a delicious meal.
“I love the creative process of cookiing,” she says. “I actually cook most nights of the week after work, because it’s a great way for me to wind down.”
When it’s time for a bigger escape, she and her husband retreat to their creekside travel trailer nestled in the North Carolina foothills. When she’s not enjoying the great outdoors, she can often be found spending time with her large, diverse family—including four children (two stepsons, a son, and a daughter), four grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
“When we all get together, it’s a wonderful slice of what America really is,” says Melinda. “A bunch of people from very different backgrounds and very different cultures, but we’re all one big family, and I love that.”
When asked how she defines great leadership, Melinda’s answer is simple.
“Great leadership is caring about people and partnering with them to reach a common goal,” she says. “I can always do better, but I try to listen and really hear what people are saying and then work creatively to find solutions—and when there aren’t solutions, it’s about finding a way through.”
Her advice for anyone new to the field? Ask questions. Lots of them!
“Organ and tissue donation is complex. I would really encourage folks to just keep asking questions, because that will help them not just do their jobs, but become a part of HonorBridge and really integrate with the culture. Learn about not only what we do, but how we do it, and who we are.”
As HonorBridge celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2025, Melinda is proud of not just her own accomplishments, but for what the team has built together.
“It is so exciting to me the way that we have grown,” she says. “Having been here now for more than 20 of those 40 years, I’ve seen how HonorBridge has really set ourselves up to save and heal as many lives as possible. Personally, it feels good to have been part of the team that built this. This was a group effort over many years to position Honorbridge at a place of excellence, and I really believe that we are there—but there’s also more to come. With all the innovations going on, on both the organ and tissue sides, the next 40 years will be very exciting.”
Stay tuned for more features from our “Get to Know Our Chief Officers” series, where we spotlight the brilliant, dedicated people who make HonorBridge what it is!