Staff
Melissa Peña
Director of Development
she/her
Melissa joined the FrameWorks Institute in March 2024 as the Director of Development. In her role, she is growing a deep network of funders to support the implementation of FrameWorks’ strategic goals and shape philanthropic understanding, discourse, and practice around social issue framing and narrative change.
Melissa has served in fundraising and nonprofit management roles for over ten years and has worked with institutional funders and individuals to raise significant funds for healthcare, education, and the intersection of economic, racial, and environmental justice. She is passionate about shifting philanthropy from charity to justice, building power around progressive solutions, and supporting meaningful social change.
Melissa graduated summa cum laude with a BS in Public Relations and a minor in Spanish from the University of Florida. She currently serves on the Board of Working Food, a nonprofit organization that works to cultivate and sustain a resilient local food community in North Central Florida through collaboration, economic opportunity, education, and seed stewardship. Melissa lives in Gainesville, Florida, with her husband and two daughters.
