Melissa Bardo (she/her/hers) serves as the Interim Director of Government Affairs for EdTrust-West, advocating at the state and local levels for policies that dismantle the racial and economic barriers embedded in the California education system.
Melissa has worked in education policy for over eight years in various roles. She began her career in public service as a Legislative Aide to a California State Senator. She later served as a Legislative Analyst for the California Student Aid Commission and the California Community Colleges (CCC) Chancellor’s Office. Melissa brings over five years of public service experience, during which she developed a deep understanding of California’s legislative, budgetary, and political processes. Most recently, she served as Associate Director of Policy and Government Relations at EdTrust-West, where she refined her expertise in college access, affordability, and policy development focused on equity. In this role, Melissa played a key part in strengthening EdTrust-West’s profile in Sacramento, advancing a higher education agenda centered on expanding access to dual enrollment, increasing financial aid application assistance, protecting gains in equitable placement and completion at community colleges, and enhancing support for student parents.
Melissa’s commitment to educational justice is deeply rooted in her lived experience as a first-generation college student and a student with a disability navigating the public education system. Her early struggles in school shaped a profound understanding of the barriers many students face, especially those from underserved communities. In college, Melissa found both community and purpose through student advocacy, sparking a lasting passion for education policy, social justice, and systemic change. Having experienced the transformational power of higher education firsthand, she now works to ensure that all students across California – particularly those most marginalized by the education system – have equitable access to the same life-changing opportunities.
A proud product of public schools and both public university systems (CSU and UC), Melissa holds a B.S. in Biological Sciences from Sacramento State and a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from the University of California, Davis. She also has a Graduate certificate in Applied Policy and Government from Sacramento State. Melissa is currently navigating the early childhood education landscape as the proud mother of two young daughters.