“Mel’s unique blend of charisma and expertise set her apart as a shining star among technology professionals. She is a real person who genuinely cares about our mission and is able to weave the ones and zeros into that larger context.”
 Melanie Downie Robinson (or “Mel”, as she is most commonly known) has often been praised for her “human approach” to technology and her ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear language with poise, grace and empathy. Merging a keen eye for detail with a passion for the arts, Mel understands that if data is to function elegantly and efficiently on the front end, it must be clean, consistent and well-documented behind the scenes. She firmly believes that technology exists to support the work of an organization, and not the other way around.A native of the Midwest, Mel earned her Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. She has worked in the technology field since 1995 in a broad range of roles including programming, application development, desktop support, technical writing/training, database management and network administration. Mel has worked in both corporate and not-for-profit environments, most recently as Systems Administrator & Database Specialist at the French American International School in Portland, Oregon. As an employee of Hill-Rom, Inc., she has worked in France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, England and Canada. Mel is fluent in French and eager to use it! | 
