Melissa Whitcomb
SHE | HER | HERS
Project Director and Policy Associate II
Melissa has dedicated her career to improving outcomes for children and families in Maine. As Project Director for FACETS (Family and Child Welfare Education, Training, and System Support) at the Catherine Cutler Institute, she leads initiatives focused on child welfare workforce development, training, policy, and practice support across the state.
Before joining the Catherine Cutler Institute in 2021, Melissa spent fourteen years working in child welfare for the State of Maine as a caseworker, supervisor, and quality assurance specialist. In these roles, she worked to strengthen the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families throughout Maine.
Melissa began her professional career in education, providing services to preschool children with autism and developmental delays before transitioning into child welfare.
She is committed to developing and supporting the next generation of child welfare professionals to improve experiences and outcomes for children and families throughout Maine.
Expertise
- Child welfare workforce development
- Child welfare policy and practice
- Quality assurance and continuous quality improvement processes
- Training development and facilitation
- Working with families experiencing domestic abuse, violence, and/or substance use disorder