Melanie Gonzalez, M.A., currently serves as an Evaluation Specialist at the Connecticut RISE Network, where she evaluates programs aiming to improve outcomes for young people in high school. She has a range of work experiences focused on increasing access to resources, improving quality of life outcomes, and building power and influence of marginalized and oppressed communities. She has worked to address community needs for over 7 years through direct service and support, partnership and coalition building, anti-racist community education and organizing, program evaluation, research, and organization development.
Melanie obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from Union College with a double major in Psychology and English and a Master of Arts in Community Psychology with a Concentration in Program Development. She has also received training in Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR), Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (PCOR), Results Based Accountability (RBA), Undoing Racism, health equity, social determinants of health, and youth-led community organizing.