Melissa Roark Email & Phone Number

Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area

- Develop the Governor's recommended biennial budget by researching and evaluating agency budget requests, advise agency leadership on how to build strong, evidence-based requests, and develop policies that address key challenges facing North Carolinians across affordable housing, mental health, and the environment. - Track the development of the General Assembly's budget and collaborate with agencies in my portfolio to assess and distill the effect on their operations, budgetary needs, and program implementation and communicate key takeaways to agency leadership and OSBM's senior leadership.- Research, and analyze state and federal policies determine their budgetary and programmatic impact on agencies in my portfolio including Medicaid, and Mental Health.- Build and sustain relationships with key state government agency staff to facilitate collaboration across relevant tasks, including budget development.- Monitor agency budgets and evaluate agency availability, resource management, and budgetary needs.- Assist the NC Results First team to complete a program inventory and benefit cost-analysis for the Adult Mental Health team within the NC Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities/Substance Abuse Services.

- Completed a research paper comparing the policy framework of the New Market Tax Credit Program and Opportunity zones to understand how North Carolina could use the Opportunity Zones tax incentive to drive equitable growth; Provided recommendations and next steps for state policy-makers to ensure Opportunity Zones have a meaningful impact on the state's disadvantaged populations.- Researched paid leave models in other states and contributed to a report for the NC Child Fatality Taskforce on implementing Paid Leave across the state. - Collaborated with a team to advise Advance Intelligently on how to address the impact of emerging technologies in Guilford County, NC.- Completed coursework in economics, statistics, social policy, and policy development.

Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area

- Collected and organized data from the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on key economic indicators including homeownership rates and share of workers in alternative work arrangements; Summarized and analyzed data in Excel and Stata to understand inequality trends within cities.- Utilized Tableau to visualize and prepare data for presentations to be used with cities' local innovation councils so that they understood the basic framework on which to build a culture of equitable entrepreneurship.

Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area

As an intern at the North Carolina Budget and Tax Center, an initiative of the North Carolina Justice Center, I completed projects including:- Analysis of state budget and spending allocations, including written analysis and note taking during legislative hearings- Research, analysis, and written report on the state of Opportunity Zones in North Carolina. - Collecting and recording Nash County, North Carolina eviction data- Formulation and publication of blog posts on Opportunity Zones and economic inequality in North Carolina- Creating a social media plan on worker-owned cooperatives for advocacy purposes- Outreach to inform high-level activists about the dangers of an income tax cap in North Carolina

Washington D.C. Metro Area

-Formulated and executed social media strategies for Facebook and Twitter to increase awareness of human needs issues and encourage grassroots action to protect domestic anti-poverty programs.- Researched, wrote, and edited blog posts on various federal anti-poverty programs and policies.- Created, managed, and sent out action alerts in Salsalabs to engage the Coalition’s network and spark local action on a multitude of issues.- Developed info-graphics for the Coalition’s annual poverty reports on the Supplemental Poverty Measure reports and other blog posts and fact sheets as needed.- Screened, hired and trained all interns.- Utilized QuickBooks to manage membership dues billing, collection, and tracking.

Washington D.C.

- Supported the efforts of the child nutrition team- Boosted the presence of D.C. Hunger Solutions on social media, and;- Conducted outreach to connect D.C. residents to the USDA child nutrition programs.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

- Maximized participation in the child federal nutrition programs by strengthening relationships with key partners, conducting outreach, creating program materials, and using social media to connect family and youth to the programs.- Producing reports analyzed data and created memos supporting my team on our work related to the National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs, WIC, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program.- Recruiting community-based organizations to serve as summer meal sites for the USDA-funded D.C. Free Summer Meals Program.- Created and implemented a sustainable social media strategy for Twitter and Facebook, and updated the D.C. Hunger Solutions website.- Educated Washington, DC residents about hunger, food insecurity, and available food resources through lectures and presentations, site visits, and presence at community fairs.

Washington, Dc

Washington, Dc

Master Of Public Policy

B.A., Politics, Food Policy

Activities and Societies: Food Justice Society, EveryBody, Homework HouseGraduated with Honors