Melanie Freeberg was elected to the New Haven Unified School District Board of Trustees in 2024, representing Area 2. A resident of the district for 20 years, Melanie’s commitment to public education is deeply personal and multi-generational. Growing up, she watched her mother fiercely advocate for her disabled brother within the NYC public school system—an experience that informs her own journey as a parent of two children currently attending district schools, including a child with special needs.
Professionally, Melanie is a Creative Program and Operations Leader with nearly two decades of experience in the technology, marketing, and communications sectors. Skilled at aligning high-level strategy with human-centric execution, she leverages her professional background to support the Board’s work in ensuring district resources are managed with transparency and used effectively to support student success.
Melanie’s leadership is defined by a consistent history of community advocacy and service. She has served as a Legal Observer, protecting the rights of community members during public engagements, and has dedicated seven years of service as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children in the foster care system.
Her commitment to community health is further evidenced by her 23-year involvement with AIDS/LifeCycle, where she completed nine 545-mile journeys as a cyclist and served as a volunteer Roadie six times, providing essential coordination and support for the 3,000-person event.
As an NHUSD parent who has navigated both the district’s schools and local educational options, Melanie brings a pragmatic, well-rounded perspective to the Board. A staunch advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in all areas of education and in the community, she is dedicated to supporting NHUSD’s efforts to remain a place of innovation, safety, and equity where every student has the support they need to thrive.
