*Positions have been filled as of September 1, 2023
We have some important updates to share with you regarding our team at the Mississippi Early Learning Alliance. Our current Communications Director, Chloe Lake, will be departing MELA to to pursue an exciting opportunity with the National Network of Public Health Institutes. While we’re sad to see her go, we are also happy to share that we are actively recruiting two new members to the team: one position will continue Chloe’s work, while the other position represents a new and important scope of work.
It is with mixed emotions that we bid farewell to Chloe, who has been an invaluable asset to our team for the past two years. She has been an instrumental part of MELA’s journey, using her skills in strategic communications and systems analysis to refine MELA’s mission and expand the impact of our work. We are grateful for the time and energy she has devoted to MELA and Forum for the Future, and we wish her the utmost success and fulfillment in her future endeavors!
A Message from Chloe
“First and foremost, I want to express my sincere gratitude to the MELA team. Working within such a talented and dedicated team of brilliant women for the past two years has been an absolute privilege. I am also grateful to have met and worked alongside MELA’s many partners – childcare providers, early childhood advocates, business leaders, and more – all of whom have inspired me with their passion and commitment to supporting children, and provided invaluable insight into how and why the early childhood system functions as it does.
I am tremendously proud of the work MELA has done over the past two years, and honored to have been a part of it. I saw much of that work on display recently at the Forum for the Future Summit, and I’m thrilled to see the beginnings of tangible progress toward a state-of-the-art childcare system in Mississippi. Building a better future through early care and education is daunting, complex work, but it is clear to me through my time with MELA that Mississippi has right people to take on the challenge.
In my new role, I will be providing communications management and support for a nationwide effort to strengthen the public health workforce. I will be taking the valuable lessons I’ve learned from another essential workforce – childcare – to my next adventure. In the days leading up to my departure, I will be working closely with the team to ensure a smooth transition. I am confident that MELA’s next Communications Director will bring new perspectives and skills that enhance MELA’s success. I know that any new team member will be lucky to come aboard!
Lastly, although my role at MELA will come to an end, my support and admiration for the team and MELA’s partners remains unwavering. I will be cheering everyone on from afar, eagerly following MELA’s progress and celebrating future achievements.”
We believe that change presents an opportunity for growth and renewal, and we are excited about the pathway forward for MELA. As such, we have revised the Communications Director position to cover communications needs and provide some operational support. This new position, Communications and Operations Director, is open now and we hope you will spread the word to qualified candidates!
Additionally, we are thrilled to introduce a brand-new role within our organization, the Advocacy and Policy Director! This new Director will play a pivotal role in the Forum for the Future coalition’s work to create a state-of-the-art childcare system by 2030. The Advocacy and Policy Director will help transform coalition recommendations into tangible policy proposals. They will also ensure that our work is rooted in the experiences of children, families, and early care and education providers in Mississippi, and will support and engage Mississippians in grassroots advocacy efforts in support of young children.
To apply to either position, please send an email with your resume and a brief explanation of why you are interested in the role to hiring@msearlylearning.org.