Melanie Sloan is an American attorney and nonprofit executive born on April 13, 1951. She graduated from the University of Chicago with both a B.A. and a J.D. Her early career included serving as an associate at the Washington, D.C. law firm Howrey & Simon, specializing in litigation. She then worked as Minority Counsel for the House Judiciary Committee during the 104th Congress, contributing to investigations including the Whitewater inquiry and impeachment proceedings related to President Bill Clinton. From 1998 to 2003, Sloan served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Columbia, prosecuting cases involving public corruption and white-collar crime in federal court.

In 2003, Sloan founded Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a nonprofit organization focused on government ethics, accountability, and combating corruption in Washington, D.C. As Executive Director until 2017, she led CREW in filing numerous ethics complaints, lawsuits, and Freedom of Information Act requests against public officials from both parties, though often targeting Republicans during the Bush and early Trump administrations. Notable actions included investigations into figures like Jack Abramoff and complaints against Supreme Court justices for ethical lapses. Under her leadership, CREW became a prominent watchdog group advocating for transparency in government.

Sloan has been frequently cited as an expert on legal and ethical issues in media appearances and has published articles in outlets such as the Yale Law and Policy Review. After stepping down from CREW in 2017, she continued to engage in legal and advocacy work, serving as a senior adviser and fellow at various policy institutes, maintaining her influence in anti-corruption efforts.