Fiona McFarland graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2008, where she majored in Political Science, was captain of the crew team and First Lieutenant of the Brigade of Midshipmen. She commissioned as an Ensign in the US Navy and spent eight years on active duty in the United States Navy. She served as a Surface Warfare officer, completing tours of duty as an engineering officer onboard the Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88), as an inaugural crewmember on Littoral Combat Ship USS Coronado (LCS 4), as well as in the Navy Office of Information in the Pentagon. While on active duty, she also completed her Masters of Business Administration from the University of Chapel Hill’s Kenan Flagler business school in 2013.

In 2016, Fiona transitioned to the US Navy Reserves and married Naval Academy classmate and native Floridian, Matthew Melton. In the Reserves, she participated in multinational antisubmarine warfare exercises above the Arctic circle with the US European Command, and with the US Africa Command to promote cooperation and understanding among regional African allies and partner nations. Fiona has received two Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals and three Navy Achievement Medals.

In her civilian capacity, Fiona worked as a consultant with the global business management consulting firm McKinsey and Company, where she served clients across media, consumer goods, manufacturing, and advanced technology industry, among others, consulting directly with senior executives of Fortune 500 to help them solve business and operations challenges.