Melanie Ross Levin
Melanie is excited for this campaign and to serve as Delaware's 10th District's next State Representative. As the Director of the Delaware's State Office of Women's Advancement and Advocacy, she has already contributed significantly to groundbreaking wins across Delaware, including the passage of Paid Family and Medical Leave, the best paid parental leave benefit for state workers in the country; increasing the minimum wage; the first ban on child marriage in the United States; the Equal Rights Amendment; expanding Medicaid coverage to pregnant women; protecting pregnant workers; and expanding menstrual hygiene products in schools and prisons.
Beyond legislation, Melanie has spearheaded projects that create a more inclusive Delaware. Under Melanie's leadership, the state added 17 lactation rooms and 50 changing tables and implemented the first LGBTQ action plan for state employees. Along with her team, Melanie produced the largest Delaware art exhibit featuring 170 portraits of Delaware women. And since 2017, Melanie and her team have trained over 700 women in salary negotiation. Finally, along with her daughter Elliana, she is part of the effort to build Delaware’s first educational Holocaust memorial in Dover.
Prior to her role with the State of Delaware, Melanie served as the Director of Engagement and Mobilization at the National Women’s Law Center. In this capacity, she led advocacy campaigns to protect Social Security, advance pay equity, protect Title IX athletics and expand early childhood education. Notably, Melanie also led the national coalition field effort to pass the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the first bill President Barack Obama signed.
Early in her career, Melanie served as a Legislative Fellow in the Delaware General Assembly and Grassroots Organizer for Planned Parenthood of Delaware. Melanie received her Master’s Degree in Public Administration and her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Women’s Studies from the University of Delaware. Melanie serves on the University of Delaware Hillel Board of Directors and is an active member of Congregation Beth Emeth. She lives with her husband, two daughters and rescue dog in North Wilmington.
