Her Story
About Melissa
Melissa Frank serves as Executive Director of a corporate school in Williamsburg, New York City, overseeing both private and public sectors as well as her management team, staff, students, and families. With nearly 10 years in early childhood education, she began her career after becoming a single mother to two young daughters and seeking work that allowed her to remain close to them. Frank quickly advanced through roles, achieving significant turnarounds such as increasing enrollment and reducing staff turnover to zero at her previous New Jersey school before being recruited to her current position. She holds an associate's degree in social studies from Ocean County College, a bachelor's degree in psychology and a teaching certificate from Kean University, and is completing her master's in organizational leadership at National University. Frank attributes her success to her passion for the field and her desire to be a strong role model for her daughters. She values feedback as a tool for growth and advises others to love what they do, emphasizing the importance of quality training and resources in an often undervalued profession.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Melissa
01What do you attribute your success to?
Definitely my passion, and my biggest motivations are my daughters. My daughters, I believe, like, they deserve the world. So I work really hard, like, to ensure that they have everything that they want and need. And not just that, but that they have a really strong role model to look up to.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Feedback is the best gift someone can give you. And I think it's really special and really important, too. Because it's very true, right? Like take the time to say, hey, listen, like, can we have a chat for a few minutes, or this is my observations, or anything, whether it's good, whether it's something that you need to grow on. Either way is very beneficial, and it really creates stronger relationships and impact.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Some advice is definitely love what you do. That will get you through everything. Love what you do. We do make the hard days not so hard. And the grade days just absolutely unmatched. Definitely seeing the little face light up, seeing parents' faces light up for anything.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Probably, for my public side of my school is, like, city resources. my teaching staff. That's definitely something that, you know, we continuously advocate for. We have certain budgets that are approved. early childhood education, definitely in New York City, is very undervalued. A lot of times. Resources going into high schools, which is very important as well. But early childhood is, like, the essential part of a human's growth, 0 to 5.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
My work and personal life, or Well, I'm a mom, so in my personal life, I definitely value my, my children. I have two daughters. And that's kind of how I found myself in my field. I had two young babies at the time, and I decided to, you know, move away from the relationship that I was in. I was a stay-at-home mom, and I was, like, thinking, like, what am I gonna do? And I really wasn't ready to not be with them. you know, I have my undergrad, like, let me see what I can do. And originally, it started out, like, just wanting to be near my children, right? working. a setting where I can be close to them. And then, I just fell in love with everything about teaching.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.