Meli has over 17 years of experience working in the Non-Profit sector. She is a certified Community Health Worker (CHW), specializing in public health program management, program design, curriculum development, regional organizing, and advocacy.
Meli has managed several community programs at Boys Hope Girls Hope of Detroit, Detroit Cristo Rey High School, Michigan State University Extension, Women Infants and Children Program (City of Detroit Health Department), and Community Health and Social Services Center prior to joining the Ecology Center. In 2022, she served on our board and is an Ecology Center Health Leaders Fellow alumnus. She holds a B.A. in Health Studies with a Minor in Psychology, a B.S. in Nutrition Science, and a Master of Science in Public Health from Michigan State University.
In her current role as Director of Lead Poisoning Prevention, she oversees the Great Lakes Lead Elimination Network, Lead Impacted Families Together (LIFT) Program, and fundraising efforts for lead work. She also co-leads the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) work at the Ecology Center.
As a person who was impacted by lead poisoning, Meli is passionate about advocating for various lead policies that push systemic change with hopes to make Michigan a lead-free state! She is passionate about creating programming around the social determinants of health that play a great role in environmental health and the injustices in our Michigan communities.
In her free time, she serves as a voluntary Troop Leader for the American Heritage Girls and supports her daughter’s CHESS team. She loves fishing with her husband and best friend, Dan. She is her son's biggest football cheerleader and her daughter's #1 dance fan.