Ms. Melohn serves as director for the OVC VOCA Center, overseeing the OVC VOCA Center staff and consultants and serving as the primary liaison with the OVC. Ms. Melohn previously served as director of the Iowa Crime Victim Assistance Division, providing support and assistance to victims of violent crime. She is a current Board of Trustees member of the National Council on Criminal Justice and the immediate past president of National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators as well a former member of National Association of Crime Victim Compensation Boards. Earlier in her career, Ms. Melohn worked for the Story County Sheriff’s Office as a detention officer supervisor in the county jail and brought the first automated victim notification system to the state of Iowa. In 2019, Ms. Melohn received the Trailblazer Award from the Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault for her work to prioritize funding and services to open doors for historically marginalized communities. Ms. Melohn holds a Master of Public Administration from Drake University with an emphasis in executive development and a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Iowa State University.
In addition to its director, the OVC VOCA Center staff includes two senior program manager positions who coordinate and deliver virtual and onsite peer-to-peer training and technical assistance. Both work closely with OVC and collaborate with National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators and National Association of Crime Victim Compensation Boards and other national partners.