MEET MELINA RODELO
(SHE/HER)
Mother. Entrepreneur. First-Gen American. Unstoppable.
Melina Rodelo lives in Oconee County and is a wife, mother, and longtime Democratic constituent. Melina has positively impacted her community by advocating for literacy and continued education, especially within the Latino and Latinx communities. For the last 20 years, Melina has collaborated with adult education centers and colleges to help students find resources to graduate and propel them to achieve success and financial equality.
Additionally, Melina, a Mexican American and first-generation college graduate, is a financial
accountant and entrepreneur. Melina has been married for over 24 years and is the mother of two adult children who have served in the United States Army. Melina earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Clemson University, School of Accountancy & Finance.
Since 2003, Melina has worked with local school districts, adult education centers, and community colleges; she has translated school district meetings, served as a mentor, taught ESOL classes, and tutored GED students. Aside from Accounting, Melina also served as a program coordinator at the community college, where her passion for public service was ignited.
While attending Tri-County Technical College, Melina held the top three student presidencies and oversaw all other clubs and organizations on every campus, including the Student Democrats. Her presidencies and involvement with the Student Ambassadors, Student Government Association, and the Alpha Zeta Beta chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society amplified her passion for social justice. Melina’s years at TCTC were filled with advocacy, including the SCTEA Community Outreach Project. This led her to collaborate with numerous local nonprofit organizations and left no one behind. Her collaboration included educational presentations, personal testimonials, and counseling on domestic violence and sexual abuse.
Melina has defied the odds, overcome enormous personal obstacles, and remains true to helping the members of her community be seen, heard, validated, represented, and treated with dignity. As an underprivileged minority, she understands the best defender against injustice and inequality is someone who has experienced it firsthand. She believes it is important to have fire and ferocity to stand up and do what’s right while staying calm, diplomatic, and focused on conflict resolution.
Melina trusts people will recognize her accomplishments and how her compassion and dedication have helped mold a better future for families—one parent and one child at a time. Melina is known as an encourager and defender and is someone we all want in our corner; she is someone we can trust to do the right thing and represent SCDP with dignity, grace, ingenuity, and determination.