Melissa began her career with United Way of West Florida in 1998 as a temporary employee working in accounts payable and receivables. In her 27 years with United Way, she has held many positions including, Assistant to the President, HR Manager and most recently the Director of Operations. As the Director of Operations, Melissa provides leadership and overall direction to a range of complex activities related to the operations of the organization. She updates policies and regulations related to human relations, oversees the United Way facilities, and ensures her team has the resources they need to succeed. In 2015, Melissa achieved the SHRM Certified Professional SHRM-CP and serves on the local SHRM board of directors.
Melissa is a Pensacola native who lives in Cantonment with her husband and 3 fur babies. She has two grown children, a daughter in-law and two adorable grandchildren, Kailo and Wrenna. Melissa’s passion for non-profit work began at the age of 13, when her mother was diagnosed with cancer. The compassion and generosity she witnessed from the non-profit agencies that came together to assist her family of 7 during this challenging time infixed a desire to serve others facing difficulties.