Melissa Nolan

About Melissa Nolan

As Manager of Engagement, Melissa helps Council on Foundations members connect to and learn from each other. She regularly engages with foundations from across the membership and works to build a sense of community for our members. Prior to joining the Council on Foundations, Melissa worked at a regional philanthropy serving organization, Philanthropy Delaware. In this role, she oversaw membership engagement, programmatic affairs, and served as the primary liaison and provider of direct services to members by providing value and quality engagement in the member experience to foster retention, growth, and community impact. Melissa received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Philosophy from the University of Lynchburg. Melissa has a Master of Public Administration from the University of Delaware, where she was a graduate research assistant for the Institute for Public Administration. Upon graduation, she served as a Pathways Student Trainee and was converted to a Loan Specialist with the U.S. Department of Agricultural (USDA), Rural Development. She served rural small businesses, cooperatives, and nonprofits in the Business & Cooperative Programs. Melissa is passionate about empowering and connecting others with available resources to enhance their wellbeing. With her persistent curiosity, you can find Melissa either reading a new book or hiking with her husband, Kevin.

Experience

1. Manager, Engagement

   Council On Foundations

   Oct 2021 — Present

   As Manager of Engagement, Melissa helps Council members connect to and learn from each other. She regularly engages with foundations from across the membership and works to build a sense of community for our members.Read more: https://cof.org/person/melissa-nolan

Education

• Lynchburg College

  Bachelor's Degree, Political Science and Government and Philosophy

  2012 — 2016

• University of Delaware

  Master’s Degree, Public Administration

  2016 — 2018