Melissa Chavarria M.p.a

Melissa Chavarria, M.P.A, has a diverse work experience spanning multiple industries. Melissa began their career in 2016 as an Account Management Intern at CareerPlug. From 2014 to 2016, they served as a Peer Academic Coach and Student Career Advisor at St. Edward's University, where they provided career development support and facilitated presentations on career-related topics. In 2015, Melissa worked as a Legal Intern at the Equal Justice Center and as a Summer Intern at Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid, gaining experience in legal research and clerical duties. Melissa also worked as a Front Desk Attendant at St. Edward's University Residence Life from 2014 to 2017. From 2017 to 2018, Melissa served as an Urban Education Fellow-Americorps at Great Oaks Charter School. Their most recent role was with KIPP Texas Public Schools - Austin, where they worked as a Career Integration Manager from 2020 to 2021 and as a Career Integration Specialist from 2018 to 2020, providing career exploration and readiness lessons to students and developing partnerships with community members. Melissa currently works as a Research Associate at the American Institutes for Research since 2021.

Melissa Chavarria, M.P.A has a Master's degree in Public Affairs from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, which they obtained between 2018 and 2019. Prior to that, they earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) Double Degree in Political Science and Sociology from St. Edward's University, completing their studies from 2013 to 2017.

In addition to their formal education, Melissa has gained additional certifications to enhance their professional skills. Melissa obtained certifications in "Project Management: Preventing Scope Creep," "Excel: Creating Business Budgets," and "Uncovering Your Authentic Self at Work" from LinkedIn. The certification in "Project Management: Preventing Scope Creep" was obtained in June 2023, while the certifications in "Excel: Creating Business Budgets" and "Uncovering Your Authentic Self at Work" were obtained in August 2021.