BIO

Mel is the owner-founder of ChildhoodToday (CT). CT offers podcasts, workshops and trauma-informed curriculum entitled, I Matter: Brains, Heart and Courage for educators and other adults who are helping children become resilient healthy and happy adults.

 Mel’s career spans over 35 years and intermingled two paths. The first in corporate organization development, systems design and executive coaching and the second career path in early childhood education (ECE). Her main focus has always been in human development and enrichment.

 Mel received a combined doctorate from the University of Kansas (KU) in Developmental Psychology and Applied Learning Theory.  She also earned a Master’s degree in early childhood education. 

While a student at KU, Mel provided technical assistance to Head Start and Follow Through programs.  She worked with administrators and teachers in the South Bronx, New York; Compton, California; and at the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in Montana. She was asked to work with the Organization of American States (OSA) and administrators at the Ministry of Education in Jamaica for two weeks, once a year for three years. 

Mel was the Head of School at Oxford Park Academy (OPA), an independent preschool through 8th grade school in Overland Park, Kansas.  OPA provided a gifted enriched curriculum for every child.  The SMart (Science, Math combined with the arts-music, Spanish and art/Technology), was a highly integrated – hands-on curriculum. OPA went through a turnaround and then successfully merged with Kansas City Christian School in 2008.

She is the author of ¡Vision! Hispanic Entrepreneurs in the United States (2000).  ¡Vision! showcases the lives of six highly successful Latino entrepreneurs and discusses their best practices in leadership and business growth. 

She is currently on the Board of Directors of The Children’s Place (TCP), a therapeutic, trauma-informed early childhood program for abused and neglected children.  Mel is also on the Advisory Board of Sesame Street in Communities (SSIC) - PBS Kansas City.