Melinda has spent her career working in Colorado’s nonprofit sector beginning with a VISTA placement after college. She joined CNDC in September 1999 after serving as executive director of Partners, Inc., an association of Colorado mentoring programs for youth. Because of her work at Partners, Inc. helping communities develop and manage new mentoring programs, she recognized the potential for an organization like CNDC to accelerate community impact and jumped at the chance to be its first president.

Melinda is a recipient of a Livingston Fellowship from the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation and was awarded the Steve Graham Award for Building Nonprofit Capacity from the Colorado Nonprofit Association. She is a graduate of Leadership Denver and has served on a number of boards, commissions, and committees, including being a founding steering committee member of the National Network of Fiscal Sponsors. Away from CNDC, Melinda enjoys spending time with her daughters and friends, traveling, practicing yoga, and engaging in outdoor activities, especially hiking.