Melissa Edmiston currently serves as the Director of Talent Development at the Urban Institute, where responsibilities include leading talent development strategies and initiatives that enhance employee belonging and development. Prior experience includes a partnership at Keystone and significant roles at the American Institutes for Research, where Melissa directed talent and learning development solutions and led special education projects. Additional experience encompasses various teaching positions in special education across multiple school districts as well as leadership roles within Teach For America. Melissa holds a BA in Psychology from Bates College, an MA in Special Education from the University of Colorado Denver, and a PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Virginia.