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                                                   Leader. Activist. Veteran.

Shana Melius is a leader, activist, and community organizer who knows what it feels like to fight against long odds. She has dedicated her life and work to the community. 

For the last three years, Shana has served as a congressional staffer for the late Congressman Donald Payne, Jr. In this role, she worked on legislative and constituent issues, where she provided leadership on topics that range from SBA loans to passport and visa approvals, in addition to working with grassroots groups. Prior to joining Congressman Payne’s staff, she served as an aide to New York Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke.

Alongside her husband, Brett, Shana founded Preserve our Legacy, Inc. in 2007, a New Jersey non-profit dedicated to raising awareness on the disparity that exists for people of color who are in need of bone marrow or cord blood transplants. Ever the fighter, Shana worked with the late Congressman Donald Payne, Jr., the late Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, and Sen. Teresa Ruiz, to successfully pass Jaden’s Law in August of 2010. Under the new law, an online brochure will be made publicly available to educate residents about bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell donations and how to register as a donor. 

Shana’s leadership on bone marrow can be traced back to her work in New York City, in 2006, as a publicist for Rucker Park. This is where she first met Jaden Hilton and began her journey to fight for bone marrow and cord blood. In 2010, Shana launched the POL Cord Blood Program, In 2012, expanded and  negotiated a contract for the POL Cord Blood Program at 10 additional New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, which covers 11 public hospitals.

A true champion of social equity, Shana has been on the frontlines fighting for social justice reform, including issues like prisoner reentry reform and access to cannabis licenses. She and her husband founded March for Equity, an organization committed to raising awareness about the lack of diversity and social equity in the cannabis industry. 

Prior to her work in the public sector, Shana spent 22 years in the music business, assisting artists and labels, including iconic record label The Inc Records (formerly Murder Inc).  Shana proudly served her country as a U.S. Army Reservist from 1992 to 2000.   

Shana holds a B.A. from Temple University, an M.A. from Liberty University, and an M.B.A. from Metropolitan College of New York. She is also currently completing her doctorate at Liberty University.  

She is married to Brett Melius and they have two dogs, Benji and King.