Mel Kesler | Director of Transformation | Department of Community and Economic Development | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
About Speaker
"Mel Kesler serves as the Department of Community and Economic Development’s director of transformation. In this role, she is championing the Healthy Government Framework with a keen eye toward continuous process improvement and creating a human-centered workplace ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion. Mel graduated from Upper Dauphin Area High School and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in social science education from Elon University. After college, Mel was a high school social studies teacher in North Carolina for 12 years. When she decided to return home to central PA in 2014, she brought her knowledge of economics, government, and best practices in teaching to work for the Department of Community and Economic Development in the Business Financing and Workforce Development – Grants Office. While working in the Grants Office, Mel was bit by the Lean bug in a big way and started leading large-scale projects as a front-line staffer. In 2020, she was given the role of Lean Lead – the only front-line staffer to take on this role. Mel has secured a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt academic certificate and is a Lean Green Belt through the commonwealth's Lean certification program."