Tennessee Nonprofit Network launched three Community Action Councils (CACs) in 2024 to serve as ambassadors for our organization and be our “ears to the ground” in their local communities to unearth community needs and challenges. You can learn more about the full roster of CAC members here.
In this post, we feature Patricia Melton, proud member of our West Tennessee CAC and the Chief Operations Officer at HopeWorks, Inc., in Memphis, Tennessee. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Memphis and a Masters of Arts degree in Human Development from Pacific Oaks College. Ms. Melton is the former Manager of Grants, Education, Compliance/Data, and Vocational Services with Shelby County Government’s Division of Correction. She served in that capacity from March 2011 until February 2019. Previously, Ms. Melton was the Assistant Chief Officer for the State of Tennessee, Department of Intellectual Disabilities. Ms. Melton is a national facilitator for the American Corrections Association and was the 2020 recipient of Mayor Lee Harris’ “Shining Star” Award.
What excites you about the work that Tennessee Nonprofit Network is doing?
The ability to connect with nonprofit agencies across the state!
What do you think the biggest challenges are for nonprofits right now?
There is an overlap in services without cognition of duplicate services being offered by other nonprofits and funding.
What do you love about the nonprofits in your area?
They appear to be from the heart.
Describe your role at Hopeworks and what a typical day looks like for you.
As COO, I have oversight of all things operational, from contracts to direct services to clients to grants to programming to curricula to training to the juggling of personalities.
What do you like to do for fun?
1. Spending time with my family
2. “Dirt therapy,” which includes flowers, herbs, and vegetables
3. Cooking
If someone were to visit you in Memphis, where would you take them to eat?
Redlands/J. Alexander’s
Any book recommendations?
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein and The Other Slavery: The Uncovered Story of Indian Enslavement in America by Andres Resendez
What change do you most want to see in the nonprofit sector?
There needs to be more open communication between organizations and cognition of services being provided.