During her 32 years with UW Extension, Melanie served as a 4-H Agent in the counties of Sauk and Dunn before joining the State Staff as a 4-H Specialist in 1990. She retired from the State Staff at the rank of Professor of Youth Development in 2011 and was granted Emeritus Status. A major focus of Mel’s career was building the next generation of agricultural leaders. She worked collaboratively with the University of Wisconsin Colleges of Agriculture, fostering partnerships between the different institutions. Her expertise led to positive learning experiences for thousands of youth and earned great respect from 4-H volunteers and agri-business leaders.
Melanie is known for her excellence in program and curriculum development. Under her direction, 4-H Area Animal Science Days (1990-2011) impacted over 1300 youth annually in four locations around the state – reaching approximately 23,000 + youth. She coordinated volunteer leader training and team taught in the areas of dairy, livestock, horses, and other agricultural projects. These trainings reached several thousand people through the years and united volunteers for the purpose of educating youth in agriculture. Further, she provided leadership on a statewide evaluation to approximately 900 animal science project members that measured their life skills gained through 4-H. The meaningful results were shared statewide and nationally.
In addition to agricultural responsibilities, Mel served as a liaison to the 4-H faculty. She provided hiring, training, and mentoring for over 100 new professionals. Further, she served as the Interim Director of Upham Woods, the state 4-H camp, for three years.
