Mel Gosselin Named CEO of Girls At Work

The board of directors of Girls At Work in Manchester recently hired Mel Gosselin as CEO of the nonprofit that empowers girls through woodworking.

 Gosselin brings 25 years of leadership at for-profit and nonprofit organizations, including 13 years as executive director of the NH Food Bank, which, under Gosselin’s tenure, grew to become the state’s largest nonprofit food distribution center.

 Prior to her work with the food bank, Gosselin spent 10 years opening and managing some of the first Walmart stores in NH, having been personally promoted by Sam Walton.

“Mel has a proven strategic track record, extensive knowledge of the New Hampshire non-profit world, and a wonderful, sincere connection with our mission of empowering girls with confidence and competence. Her experience in fundraising, program development, and capacity building are exactly what Girls At Work needs as we are poised to grow and expand our programs to reach more girls,” says Samantha Luker, chairman of the Girls At Work board of directors.  

“I’m so excited to see Mel put her considerable experience building relationships with diverse stakeholders to work for our little builders,” says Founder and Program Director Elaine Hamel.

“From my professional experience, and as a woodworker myself, I know the exhilarating feeling of completing a project you weren’t sure you could do. Girls At Work puts that power in the hands of girls from our city who are told by music, movies and TV that women and girls are weak. In our classes and camps, they learn how strong they really are,” Gosselin says. “I can’t wait to share this incredible program with more girls in Manchester and beyond.”

For more than 15 years, Girls at Work has exposed girls to woodworking with power tools in order to show their own inner strength, resilience, and problem-solving skills.  

Learn more at www.girlswork.org.