MelissaRoshan Potter

From the days of her tumultuous childhood spent in the foster care system, MelRo knew she was meant for more than the abuse she faced sometimes on a daily basis. Vowing to overcome, she not only later embarked on her own journey toward healing, but also became committed to encouraging others rise from their painful pasts. Today she continues to flow in her creative talent, but has been a fierce advocate for children who've lived through trauma, and are now in foster care. She is an ambassador for Children's Rights -a federal agency that uses the law to protect abused, and neglected children. She is involved with several international campaigns that benefit youth in foster care, and she works tirelessly as a full-time advocate for said youth. From teaching workshops on Trauma Informed Care, Trauma Informed Parenting and Adverse Childhood Experiences, she was Ohio's first Diversity Equity and Inclusion director, and recruits foster parents for National Youth Advocacy Program. MelRo also mentors youth through her online empowerment program, “iThrive with MelRo”.

MelRo has keynoted at schools, national child welfare conferences, youth summits women’s prisons, juvenile detention centers, faith based organizations, and more Her, "voice" has been seen on/in TED Talks, T.D. Jakes Show, Harvard.com, The OWN Network, CNN, NBC, Cosmo Girl, The Today Show, Hollywood TV, and more. MelRo is a proud mother of college graduate son, a vibrant daughter, a published author of her memoir, "A Beautiful Freedom", and is the founder/director of MelRo's Foundation which built a school/orphanage in the central region of Ghana for 500 homeless youth. She also serves as director of iHeart Africa, which builds homes for youth in Goma, Congo.