ACELEBRATIONOFWORTH.ORG - Key Persons
Melvena started her quest for self-development with a love for knowledge and healthy, educated children when she worked under the Neighborhood Youth Corp Program from the 10th to the 12th grade, as an Office Assist to the Principal's Secretary at Grape Elementary School in Compton, CA.
During the summer she taught kindergarten children, as a substitute teacher. After graduation, she taught Nutrition through "Healthy Snack Recipes" to 5th and 6th grade students and also substituted as a Lunch Recess Supervisor for the Lynwood City Schools District.
Because of her love for community and children, she exercised her volunteer spirit with various community organizations and projects including: Girl Scouts of America as a Group Leader for the City of Fountain Valley in Orange County, as a "Boy Scouts of America" Den Mother in the City of Lynwood in Los Angeles County and as Day Camp Coordinator for the Scouts' Midland District of Southern California.
Melvena pursued a double majored in English/Journalism and studied Business, Anthropology, Latin and Black Histories at Compton Community College in California. She was the Chief Editor of their reestablished School Newspaper and wrote many of the major articles. She became the secretary and spokesperson for a Compton Community College Advocate Group, formed as a student fact finding committee to provide data to bring about a resolution between faculty and administration during the 1985 faculty strike. She later worked there, as a Program Assistant and Supervisor to student workers in the "Student Orientation/Transfer Center" under the direction of Dr. Adolfo Bermeo.
Melvena attended the University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles and majored in English with a concentration in Writing. She worked there as an Administrative Assistant and Supervisor of student workers in the "Office for Students with Disabilities", under Administrator, Lynn Bejoian. There, she also wrote articles for the office newsletter.
While working as the CEO of the Waterman Gardens Community Service Office; she campaigned and was voted President of the Waterman Gardens Resident Advisory Group's Board of Directors, by a majority of the voting member residents. She developed and established a community newsletter called "The Grapevine", solicited neighborhood and community article input, wrote articles, edited and published the newsletter which had a monthly, countywide distribution in the County of San Bernardino's Housing Authority community.
Melvena helped to research data and assisted in developing the by-laws, articles of incorporation and 501(c)(3) nonprofit filing, resulting in the establishment of the Waterman Gardens Resident Advisory Group's nonprofit status. This enabled the organization to receive their first grant funding in which she was instrumental in writing. She developed and wrote 5 more subsequent grants and 4 of them were funded.
She also served as the Project Coordinator for the Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) program for two consecutive tours in which a number of community programs were established. The project was funded by the grants awarded to the VISTA project that Melvena developed and wrote.
Melvena has worked on many other community projects and programs and sat on a number of Boards in the Inland Empire in the county of San Bernardino. She held several principle officer positions: including secretary to the Loma Linda School of Public Health's "Healthy Families Together" Board of Directors and sat as community representative to the Inland Empire Hospitals Board of Directors, established to find more effective ways to administer healthcare to underserved communities in the Inland Empire.
Currently, Melvena is working with the private, event planning and business development firm, "III Generations Design Concepts", as an event planner and business developer. As the Vice President/ Manager of "Dignity Soft Logistics, Inc.", Melvena is also working closely with the President/CEO to develop and expand community services. In addition, she sits on the Board of Directors of the nonprofit "A Celebration of Worth" as the Vice President. Melvena continues to work to inspire spiritual values in her community through her ministry and is continuously acquiring spiritual knowledge for personal spiritual growth.
Michelle had demonstrated her love for helping people while working in the medical field for over 20 years as an administrator and Financial counselor. She spent many years training new employees on how to properly utilize the PBX system, calling emergency codes, as well as current admitting protocols. Michelle has used her Knowledge of all HIPAA laws to protect the rights and privacy of her patients. She has been acknowledged and awarded for her participation in ethics trainings, as well as disaster readiness and hospital emergency protocol drills.
Michelle has a great love for children and is a certified foster and adoptive parent, and is currently pursuing a certification in childcare. As a responsible childcare provider Michelle has made it her aim to take all precautions to ensure the safety and wellbeing of every child in her care, by becoming fully trained in first aid and CPR.
Michelle joined A Celebration of worth in 2018 because of her passion for helping disenfranchised, battered, abused and incarcerated women to become the best version of themselves. She has personally mentored and coached women in the areas of finance, spirituality and self-care.
Michelle is a proud wife and mother of a beautiful little boy and loves to spend time with her family and her spiritual family. Michelle strives to be the best person she can be as an example to the people who aspire to follow her lead.