After three years away from KIPP, Melissa returns to KIPP Team and Family Schools (KIPP NJ & KIPP Miami) as the Chief Operating Officer. This will be her 18th year as a Big KIPPster. Before becoming COO at KIPP Team and Family Schools, Melissa spent 17 years wearing many hats with KIPP in San Jose, CA and Newark, NJ - teacher, principal, leadership development director, school leader manager, MD of KIPP through College, and MD of Operations. Before leaving KIPP in 2021, Melissa was the Managing Director of Operation. In this role she was responsible for ensuring operational excellence across 11 schools in Newark, growth of the Newark region, managing and leading through a pandemic, and all financial and compliance requirements to maintain a healthy region. She was a key member of the region’s leadership team with responsibility for key functional areas: school operations, student recruitment and enrollment, budget development and management, compliance, facilities, technology, nutrition, and transportation. Her favorite part of all of these roles was coaching and developing teammates to thrive and grow as leaders daily.

Prior to joining KIPP NJ in 2012, Melissa was a teacher and school leader with KIPP Northern California Schools from 2004 -2012. Melissa founded KIPP’s second high school in Northern California, KIPP San Jose Collegiate, in July of 2008 and served as the school’s principal from 2008 - 2012. 100% of the founding class at KIPP San Jose Collegiate (KSJC) matriculated to a 2 or 4 year college or university. Recently, the school was ranked #4 in public high schools in California and #9 in public charter schools across the country according to U.S. News & World Report. Opening and leading KSJC still remains the most rewarding professional experience in Melissa’s career - in particular, seeing alum return to teach at KSJC and teachers become leaders in other KIPP regions continues to be a highlight.

Melissa earned her B.A. in Latin American and Iberian Studies from UC Santa Barbara in 2001. Outside of work, she loves to spend time with her husband and two children (when they’re not driving her crazy) and binge on Netflix.