Melinda Lipani is a lifelong learner and advocate for children, families and communities. As Vice President of Resource Development, Melinda partners with the MAYA team to design systems and provide resources that support growth and cultivation in support of MAYA’s long-term vision.
Through her two decades of experience in the nonprofit and public sectors, Melinda has honed her ability to first understand the challenges an organization is experiencing and then design a resource development strategy to address emerging priorities. She brings experience in liberatory design, strategic planning, strategic communications, and resource development to the MAYA team. Melinda has successfully attained new funding streams from the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Justice, numerous state and local government entities, as well as private foundations to support cultural proficiency and inclusiveness, full-service community schools, Head Start and other early childhood initiatives, postsecondary readiness, innovative teaching strategies, mental health supports, and community coalition building.
Melinda earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from The University of Texas at Austin. She resides in Austin with her husband, children, and fluffy white dog, Snoball, and enjoys reading, hiking, and taking long road trips that may or may not have clear itineraries, which has led to her having visited all 50 U.S. states.