Areas of expertise: State workforce policy, Racial equity and inclusion, Policymaker education planning, Coalition building and support
Melissa Johnson is the Managing Director of State Strategies at National Skills Coalition, where she leads the organization’s efforts to advance workforce policy solutions at the state level. Melissa oversees the development of NSC’s state policy agenda and works with the organization’s network of state coalitions and partners to provide strategic guidance for policy development, advocacy, advancement, and implementation.
Melissa’s publications, policy expertise, and engagement with local community organizations, workforce boards, business leaders, and workforce advocates have helped educate state policymakers and shaped state workforce policy solutions that continue to make a meaningful impact for workers, businesses, and communities.
Prior to joining National Skills Coalition in in 2017, Melissa was a Senior Policy Analyst at Georgia Budget and Policy Institute where she led the organization’s research on several issues, including gender economic equality, affordable child care and workforce development. Earlier in her career, she worked in policy analysis and legal roles for the Administrative Office of the Courts of Georgia and in the private sector as a management consultant.
She holds a J.D. from Emory University School of Law, as well as an MBA and bachelor’s degree from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. Melissa is based in Atlanta and Washington, DC.
