Melissa Mercado is a Medical Equipment Planner for Geisinger Health System located in Pennsylvania and northern New Jersey. She is part of an integrated equipment planning team responsible for the planning and procurement of medical and non-medical equipment for new expansions and renovations. Acquiring knowledge alongside a diverse set of clinical, technical and administrative leadership teams has helped Melissa and her team position a program that continuously evolves sourcing strategies to align with the business strategies of the health system. This innovative approach has built an equipment planning program that was recognized by two industry leaders. In 2016 Gartner choose Geisinger as a finalist for its annual Healthcare Supply Chain Innovator Award and in 2017 Geisinger received the annual Premier Supply Chain Innovation Award. These awards recognize supply chain innovation initiatives that increase efficiency, improve patient care, and reduce costs in healthcare. Melissa Mercado started her career with Geisinger's clinical engineering company, ISS Solutions, as an MRO Sourcing Specialist. She left to work as a Senior Buyer Analyst for a polymer manufacturer for a year before returning to Geisinger in her current role. Melissa received her B.S. in Business Administration and is pursuing her MBA from Misericordia University.