Melissa Bradley

Melissa Bradley begins her 30th year dedicated to education and career planning for all learners never wavering from the mindset, "All Ways. Always."

She serves Beacon College as the Director of the Juan and Lisa Jones Center for Career Preparation where she identifies and develops experiential learning programs and innovative resources specifically intended to develop a neurodiverse early talent pipeline capable of impacting industries everywhere. Her work centers around engaging industry leaders, developing neurodiverse talent and how to best leverage career development opportunities for all stakeholders.  Melissa oversees a team of Career Advisors and Coordinators who specialize in intentional, high-touch career advising and on-campus student employment services designed to impact Beacon’s neurodistinct student population.  She works strategically with national, regional and local employer partners eager to develop a 21st century neurodiverse workforce through internships and early career recruitment programs.

Melissa began her career as a classroom teacher in Palm Beach County, Florida specializing in inclusive Language Arts education for middle school students where she became a state and National Board-Certified Teaching Professional.  She developed school and district-level professional development programs for educators and parents designed to impact reading and writing growth for students across all content areas and developed college and career readiness programming for 8th graders. 

She was invited to join the Florida Department of Education and led the statewide education and career planning legislative initiative that impacted all public middle and high school students across 74 Florida school districts throughout the state.  She served the Florida Board of Governors and the state’s public postsecondary institutions as Director of Training and Outreach of FACTS.org, Florida’s statewide student advising system designed to influence postsecondary planning through ongoing career exploration for the states secondary and postsecondary student population.

Melissa is an experienced grant writer for Title I Federal Programs and several discretionary projects for nonprofit organizations.  Before joining Beacon College, she served as the Vice President of Education for a nonprofit organization dedicated to education and career development of K-12 students across Central Florida school districts made possible through meaningful industry partnerships and corporate volunteers. She has developed career exploration programs for thousands of K-12 and postsecondary students, and is currently working to develop digital badging and micro-credential certification programs for Beacon College students to further their employment outcomes.