Melynda Barnes, MD, Ro
Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Barnes is a double board-certified Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon and Otolaryngologist and Chief Medical Officer at Ro. Prior to joining Ro, she was an Assistant Professor of Surgery-Otolaryngology at Yale School of Medicine and served on Yale Medical Group's Board of Directors. As a Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, Dr. B specialized in cosmetic and aesthetic surgery, skincare, and reconstructive surgery.
Dr. Barnes has been recognized as one of Business Insider's 30 under 40 in Health, Crain's New York Notable Black Executives, Fierce Healthcare’s Most Influential Minority Executives, and a 40 Under 40 Leader in Health. She has been invited to speak at Harvard Business School and the American Telemedicine Association National Conference and has been featured in Fast Company, Fortune, Forbes, Shape, and more. Dr. Barnes is a founding member of CHIEF, a network of female executives, and is on the board of the Fund for Public Health in New York City.
Education
Undergraduate: Biology and Spanish with distinction from Stanford University
Medical School: The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Residency: Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery at Stanford University
Fellowship: Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Oregon Health & Science University
Certifications
Board-certified in Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery by the American Board of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery (ABOHNS)
Board-certified in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ABFPRS)
Certified yoga instructor
Professional accomplishments
Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellow at Washington University in St. Louis
Gold Humanism in Medicine recipient
Named as one of Business Insider's 30 under 40 Changing Healthcare in 2021
Named as one of Crain's 2021 New York Notable Black Leaders & Executives
Named as one of Fierce Healthcare’s Most Influential Minority Executives
Awarded 40 Under 40 Leader in Health
Top Doctor in Connecticut in 2015 & 2016
Top Doctor in New York in 2017 & 2018
Our medical review process
Every article on Health Guide goes through rigorous fact-checking by our team of medical reviewers. Our reviewers are trained medical professionals who ensure each article contains the most up-to-date information, and that medical details have been correctly interpreted by the writer. Learn more about our medical review team and process here.
Our editorial process
Before undergoing rigorous medical review, every Health Guide article is held to the highest editorial standards. Our editorial team ensures each article aligns with our tone of voice, style, and grammatical standards. Learn more about our editorial guidelines.