Melissa Wiggins joined the Schott Foundation for Public Education in November 2021. As Development Associate, Melissa supports Schott’s efforts to expand philanthropic support by drawing on her experience with development strategies and systems.

Before joining Schott, Melissa spent a decade working with social justice nonprofits based in North Carolina. She was the Development Associate at the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) for several years before becoming the Deputy Director of Finance and Operations. Prior to CRL, Melissa spent five years working on all aspects of development at the North Carolina Justice Center.

Originally from the Boston area, Melissa received her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and worked as a litigation paralegal in Boston for several years before taking an internship with a non-profit startup. This led to her interest in the nonprofit sector and the decision to pursue a Master’s degree in Public Policy at Suffolk University.