Melissa Cole joined AVID Center in 2015 as State Director, supporting AVID implementation in schools and districts across Oregon. She now serves as Vice President of National Programs, leading and supporting regional staff while managing regional operations that include developing a multi-state presence and monitoring AVID program results.

Before joining AVID, Melissa served as the director of middle school education at Salem-Keizer Public Schools in Salem, Oregon, where she ensured the districtwide implementation of strategic plan initiatives at the middle school level. As an instructional leader, she established a collaborative Middle School Administrative Leadership Team, who worked together to raise student achievement for every student. Through embedded coaching and a comprehensive supervision cycle focused on the instructional core, she provided the support and feedback to engage administrators in schoolwide improvement.

Melissa earned her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from the University of Montana and her Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from the University of Oregon. Melissa is driven by a firm belief that education breaks barriers and changes the trajectory of families for generations.