Melanie Willingham-Jaggers

Melanie Willingham-Jaggers ('12') (they/she) is the Executive Director at GLSEN, a national nonprofit that works to ensure K-12 education is safe and affirming for all students, including LGBTQ+ youth. Their vision for the next chapter of GLSEN’s work is rooted in the belief that education can and should be an experience that is safe, affirming and liberating—and that we can achieve that goal only when we build in racial, gender, and disability justice into our education system as a key indicator of success. Before joining GLSEN in 2019 as Deputy Executive Director, Melanie served as the Program Associate Director of The Worker Institute at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations. As part of the leadership team there, Melanie worked to ensure the strategic, programmatic, and operational excellence of the Institute.

Melanie brings extensive experience in social justice movement and organizations as a manager and consultant with her, including curriculum design, facilitation, organizing within and beyond various marginalized and intersecting communities, including current and formerly incarcerated and underground economy involved people, LGBTQ+ community, youth, immigrants, people with disabilities, and senior citizens. Melanie earned their BA in Politics, Peace and Justice Studies and Philosophy from the University of San Francisco, and their MA in Applied Theatre from the CUNY School of Professional Studies.

Theories II: Community Culture and Diversity