Onica Mello
Program Director
Onica Mello has served in the role as Program Director at North State Together since 2024. She serves the North State region as the technical assistance liaison for the K-16 Educational Collaboratives Grant and the lead coordinator for the NatureBridge in Yosemite Program.
Beginning in 2022, the K-16 Educational Collaborative Grant supports cradle-to-career initiatives within North State Together’s ten county region in far Northern California, with the overarching goal of establishing equitable and accessible healthcare and education pathways for students from kindergarten through bachelor degree program completion. The NatureBridge in Yosemite Program, fully funded by The McConnell Foundation since 1989, serves 80+ high school sophomores and juniors from the North State each year through immersive outdoor education led by highly qualified NatureBridge educators. The program provides a real-world on-ramp to education and career pathways in the environmental sciences, aligning seamlessly with North State Together’s cradle-to-career mission.
Onica’s work emphasizes careful project management, creative problem solving, and regional networking with the aim of removing barriers and increasing career readiness for all in the North State. She is passionate about providing equitable educational offerings to all students — a goal which goes beyond the classroom and addresses unique personal challenges and varying local needs. Onica holds a Bachelor of History degree from the University of Oregon and an MBA with a specialization in Project Management from Chico State University.