Nonprofit Management Expert Melanie Powell Joins the Board of Directors at Families USA - Families USA Skip to Main Content
09.20.2021 / Press Release

Nonprofit Management Expert Melanie Powell Joins the Board of Directors at Families USA

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Frederick Isasi, executive director of Families USA, announced today that Melanie Powell has been appointed to the organization’s Board of Directors. A nonprofit leader with deep roots in health equity and community service, Powell is the executive director of Tutwiler Community Education Center in Tutwiler, Mississippi, where she oversees day-to-day operations.

“As a social worker who is steeped in health equity and has critical experience in community service and organizing, Melanie shares our passion and vision for health care justice on the state and national levels,” said Isasi. “Her background and expertise are vital, especially as the nation looks for ways to better serve traditionally underserved communities. She will play a critical role on our board as we work to ensure all families have access to the equitable, affordable, and high-quality health care they need and deserve.”

“Every day I see the impacts of inadequate access to health care on people of all ages and races,” said Powell.

“I am so excited to join the Families USA board at this critical moment when we have an opportunity to build a healthier, stronger America. I look forward to building on the great work already underway, supporting our partners, and making sure the voices of consumers are heard loud and clear.”

The Tutwiler Center helps strengthen children, young adults, seniors, and families by creating programs that address specific community needs. It offers innovative programs focusing on education, health and wellness, and recreational activities. The organization, formerly known as the Tutwiler Clinic, gained recognition in 1990 when 60 Minutes aired a segment on the severe poverty in Tutwiler and the Clinic’s work addressing the issue. The Center started in one room at the Tutwiler Clinic just conducting outreach programs. When the 60 Minutes segment aired, donations poured in and the current building was purchased. The Clinic is still open today.

Prior to joining the Center, Powell worked at the Mississippi Center for Justice and served as the Project Director of the Sunflower County United for Children Collaborative. She was also a Sociology instructor at Bryant and Stratton College and a coordinator for the social services organization Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland in Ohio – where she lived for several years before returning home to Mississippi. Her background also includes helping youth transition out of residential treatment and volunteering for several community initiatives focused on education and mental health awareness.

Powell has a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Mississippi Valley State University, a master’s degree in nonprofit organization from Case Western Reserve University, and a Graduate Certification in Sociology from Baypath University. She is also a licensed social worker.