partners
in change

Samantha Mellerson is an executive director with the Haywood Burns Institute. Her work involves strategic planning, organizational development, financial oversite, project development and managing relationships with community leaders and system decision makers, funders and other partners across the nation.

Sam brings over 20 years of experience working with issues of social justice, racial and ethnic equity, education, diversity, youth justice, child welfare and wellbeing. She also brings a depth of knowledge around nonprofit capacity building and is a certified empowerment and diversity coach. Sam has worked across public and private sectors in various capacities such as non-profit direct service and management, local and state government and philanthropy

She was senior associate for capacity-building at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, where she worked to strengthen and increase organizational effectiveness through a race equity- informed and results-based strategy to benefit children and families. As chief operating officer for the Baltimore City Department of Social Services, she worked on and led major Child Welfare and Family Investment Administration reforms. A graduate of University of Toronto, Sam is an active community volunteer and serves on various committees and boards focused on increasing opportunities for youth to thrive.