Melanie stepped in to the Executive Director role in 2023, having served over 11 years as the CCE Ulster 4-H Issue Leader. She has initiated and worked in campus-county collaborations and leadership roles at State and National levels, and she authored and delivered 4 Cornell Cooperative Extension Innovation grants.
Melanie worked in youth development for 2 decades. Through her tenure at 4-H Melanie worked with her District peers to overhaul, modernize and research our public presentations preparatory program. She co-developed the 4-H Act for Change teen anti-racism program with peers and Cornell colleagues. Other programs of note she developed include the Rural Storytelling and Catskill Stream Champions programs. She also delivered effective state/federally funded projects through Advantage Afterschool, Google and Tech Wizards programming. Prior to CCE, Melanie co-led public high schools in NYC, worked with unhoused youth, led summer youth employment programs and even worked at the Bronx Zoo where she developed a love for animals, conservation efforts and education.
Melanie has lived and worked abroad and is tri-lingual in Spanish and French, which has opened countless doors in her life. On her free time, you will find her immersed in nature.
