Melanie Bridgeforth

MELANIE R. BRIDGEFORTH, MSW serves as president and CEO of Women’s Foundation of Alabama where she transformed the organization from a regional women’s fund to a statewide influencer and philanthropic powerhouse advancing gender equity. 

A leader in building public policy and philanthropic solutions to close gaps for women and communities, her expertise in organizational transformation, legislative strategy, and galvanizing cross-sector collaborations have made her an indispensable voice for change. She has been at the helm of 18 policy wins impacting millions, including Alabama’s first Equal Pay statute and landmark policy requiring more child care in Alabama to be licensed. 

A trusted advisor to many initiatives, Melanie is an Ascend Fellow at the Aspen Institute and board member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta – Birmingham Branch. 

A native Alabamian, she is a proud fifth-generation descendant of Black farmers and landowners prior to Reconstruction. Deep in her ancestry lies the source of her vision for what is possible and the grit to plant powerful seeds of change.