Melissa Krouse

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT MELISSA KROUSE

I’m a strategic, transformational leader with over two decades of experience driving change across the child welfare and human services landscape, from local casework and victim advocacy to national systems reform.Most recently, I served as a Child and Family Program Specialist with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, providing federal oversight and technical assistance to child welfare agencies across Region 10. My work focused on aligning state and tribal systems with federal compliance requirements, leading data-informed reviews, and supporting systemic improvements in prevention, safety, permanency, and well-being.Beyond policy and program leadership, I bring deep project and portfolio management expertise, having directed multimillion-dollar federal grants, statewide quality improvement initiatives, and cross-functional change efforts. I’ve successfully applied Prosci® change management practices, Smartsheet project tracking, and structured portfolio frameworks to deliver results on complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.My career has taken me from front-line investigations in Colorado to managing statewide performance measurement and leading federal program improvement plans in Washington State. I’ve directed a regional child advocacy center, helped shape state legislation for immigrant survivors of crime, and authored statewide strategic planning and performance reports.What unites all my roles is a relentless commitment to transforming systems to better serve children, youth, families, communities, and the professionals who support them. I specialize in turning data into action, building diverse partnerships, and ensuring that underserved voices remain at the center of public policy and practice.As I seek my next opportunity, I remain deeply committed to public service and am particularly passionate about returning to Colorado to continue building trauma-informed, accountable, and community-driven systems.