Melissa Leavitt

Melissa Leavitt is an experienced social impact professional currently serving as the Director of Postsecondary Education at Strada Education Foundation.1 She is based in Portland, Oregon, and has a passion for advancing equity and access to opportunity.1

Professional Experience

Melissa has a diverse background in nonprofit and mission-driven organizations across education, economic, and healthcare sectors.1 Her career highlights include:

• Director, Postsecondary Education at Strada Education Foundation (current role)
• Senior Research Fellow at Strada Education Network (Jan 2020 - Dec 2020)
• Research Consultant at Equity Cities (Oct 2020 - Jan 2021)
• Marketing Communications Consultant at SkillUp Coalition (Jul 2020 - Oct 2020)
• Research/Content Strategy Manager at InsideTrack (Apr 2017 - Dec 2019)
• Associate Director of Scientific Communication at National Psoriasis Foundation (Mar 2014 - Apr 2017)

Education

Melissa has a strong academic background:

• Ph.D. in American Literature and Culture from Stanford University
• M.F.A. in Creative Writing from The University of Montana
• B.A. with Highest Honors, Phi Beta Kappa from University of California, Davis1

Skills and Approach

Melissa takes a strategic approach to program development, research, and philanthropy, focusing on systems-level approaches to sustainable improvement.1 Her expertise includes:

• Thought leadership and marketing content strategy
• Translating scientific findings into research-based storytelling
• Developing and implementing impact assessment frameworks
• Writing and designing high-end funding proposals
• Teaching and course design at the university level1

Melissa's LinkedIn profile showcases her commitment to supporting equitable pathways to opportunity through engagement, communications, and philanthropy.1