Melissa McLeod (she/her) is a first-generation Jamaican American and the first in her family to graduate from college. Her commitment to youth development is deeply personal: she knows what it means to navigate new spaces, take bold steps without a roadmap, and the support of mentors who see your potential long before you do. Throughout her life, professors, teachers, coaches and mentors encouraged her to keep stepping into who she was meant to be — and that sense of belief is what she strives to help unlock for Summer Search students.

As National Director of Strategic Partnerships, Melissa leads Summer Search’s institutional fundraising strategy and team. She brings over a decade of experience in nonprofit leadership, revenue growth, and systems-level collaboration. Her career spans public health, mental health, housing, youth development, sustainability and food justice, giving her a holistic understanding of the structural barriers young people navigate, and the resources required to expand their opportunities. Melissa holds a Master of Public Health from the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and a Certificate in Community Leadership and Social Change from the Institute for Nonprofit Practice.

Outside of work, Melissa finds joy in global motorsport, functional fitness, and exploring the world through travel, food, and community. She is also learning Italian and looks forward to the day she can speak it fluently. Above all, she loves creating experiences that help people feel powerful, connected, and confident in who they are becoming.