Melinda Perron

About Melinda Perron

I came on as the assistant director in July of 2022. Since then, I\'ve been learning the ins and outs of nonprofit management, grant writing, grant administration, and survivor advocacy. At CONTACT, we have at least one victim advocate in each of the six counties we serve - Cabell, Lincoln, Logan, Mason, Mingo, and Wayne. Our goal is to make sure no survivor ever goes without services. We also have a new program - Prevention Education. Our prevention educators teach kids, teens, and young adults about body safety, healthy relationships, and bystander intervention. We recently branched out into Circles of Safety - a program that helps youth leaders and parents prevent child abuse. I worked at WV Women Work from 20••••22. In that time, I helped start the first all-women manufacturing pre-apprenticeship in the country, Step Up for Women Advanced Manufacturing Program. I ran the Huntington site, including recruitment, teaching, and case management for two cohorts per year. Once the pandemic hit in March 2020, I took on several new projects. I taught myself the basic structure of Salesforce and built our organization’s instance from the ground up. I worked with Chicago Women in the Trades and Jobs for the Future to run an online DEI conference. I also researched a gender and equity paper for WV’s Department of Highways. Previous to this position, I graduated from Randolph-Macon College in 2011 with a degree in English and secondary education. I achieved Magna Cum Laude with Honors and was inducted into several honors societies including Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Tau Delta, and Omicron Delta Kappa. While in college, I volunteered with Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity and traveled to Guatemala with the Highland Support Project to boost Mayan women’s self-sufficiency. I have a special interest in the equity of all peoples, community development, ending ACEs, and keeping children out of foster care by uplifting their families. I live in Huntington with my husband and two perfect children.

Experience

1. Executive Director

   Contact Rape Crisis Center

   Jan 2026 — Present · Huntington, WV, US

Education

• Randolph-Macon College

  Bachelor of Arts (BA), English Language and Literature, Education

  2007 — 2011

Skills

• Problem Solving
• Creative Problem Solving
• Multitasking Skills
• Fundraising
• Jenzabar
• Selling Online
• Memberclicks
• Photoshop
• Invoicing
• Client Confidentiality
• Non-Profit Administration
• Volunteering
• Teamwork
• Teaching
• Time Management
• Entrepreneurship
• Microsoft Office
• Small Business
• Micro-Business
• Online Product Photography
• Research
• Leadership