Meet Melody

• Melody was an forester for nearly 48 years

• Melody retired from the USDA Forest Service in 2005 and now lives in Arlington, Virginia, with her dogs and cat.

• Melody serves on the Forestry and Natural Resources Commission, the NAACP Environment & Climate Justice Committee, and the Board of Directors for Eco Action Arlington

• Melody spends most of her time in retirement volunteering in her local community by registering voters in underserved communities

• Melody teaches science and math in Arlington public schools, and serves as a DEI strategist for new and established organizations focused on environmental and social justice.

• Melody is the chair of the Arlington Public School Science Advisory Committee.

• Melody’s USDA Forest Service uniform and tools were accepted into the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of African American History and Culture permanent collections

• Melody’s name is on the Wall of Honor in the National Museum of the American Indian.