Melinda Hayes

Director of Finance

Melinda Hayes is the Director of Finance and a co-founder of Positive Change Via Me Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering today’s youth to become stable, educated, and productive adults who give back to their communities. She is deeply passionate about mentorship and believes that mentoring provides young people with crucial guidance and alternative perspectives that help shape their life journey.

A native of New York, Melinda, now resides in Delaware with her husband. She is the proud mother of a son and a stepdaughter, and a devoted grandmother to four grandchildren.

Professionally, Melinda has had a distinguished 34-year career at Verizon, where she currently serves as a Senior Systems Engineer and Architect in the Consumer Routing Design group. Over the years, she has held multiple roles, including operator, maintenance administrator, and switching equipment technician. Since transitioning into management in 2004, she has consistently demonstrated technical expertise and leadership across complex system engineering and design initiatives.

Beyond her professional career, Melinda is a dedicated volunteer and leader. She served on the local board of the Consortium of Information and Telecommunication Executives (CITE), a 501(c)(3) Employee Resource Group, for over 15 years. During her tenure, she significantly increased membership by over 250%, managed finances as Treasurer with integrity for four consecutive years and successfully led national conference registrations for over 1,500 participants. Her outstanding contributions earned her both Local and National President Awards from CITE.

Melinda has also held a seat on the Duffy’s Hope Executive Board as Secretary (April 2023–January 2025) and has been actively involved with local organizations including the Sunnyside Elementary PTO, Dover CR Raiders football, Dover Little League, Computers for Youth, and the Food Bank of Delaware.

Having been a teenage parent herself, Melinda uses her lived experience to educate and mentor teens about the importance of making informed, positive life choices. Her mission is to help young men and women avoid the pressures of premature adulthood and instead pursue a path grounded in self-awareness and purpose.

Melinda holds an Associate degree in Accounting, a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, and a Master of Science in Information Systems with a concentration in Network Management.  In 2017, she earned a Certificate in Non-Profit Management from the University of Delaware.  She is also exploring further education in Business Law, with plans to begin formal studies in the near future.