About

Real-world experience meets policy expertise.

With a 25-year track record as a technology executive and entrepreneur, Melanie’s professional journey and experience informs much of her advocacy in education. She has interviewed hundreds of job candidates and brings with her a unique perspective an employer. She is a longtime volunteer and proponent of programs that introduce children of all ages to concepts in technology and problem solving, which can be foundational to future careers in computer engineering and coding, or can provide exposure to the field while allowing students to pivot in other directions, like game design or project management. She's quick to point out that not every student is destined for a traditional college degree: 

“It is important that we celebrate a wide variety of success stories for Kansas graduates, whether they choose to go straight into a certificate program like nursing or welding, or they opt for military service or even starting their own business,” she explains.

Melanie and her husband, Nathan Haas, have two daughters currently enrolled in the Shawnee Mission School District.

Melanie has spent several years mentoring high school students in design-thinking exercises with student-focused organizations in the Kansas City metro. She also spent five years as the organizer of Kansas City Geek Night and started “Code School” at the request of her daughters – recruiting other parents to help mentor an after-school coding club where younger kids learn to code using visual programming languages seen as blocks on the screen. She cites "responsible use of internet-connected devices" as a key focus area for education in the coming years.

Since her election to the State Board of Education in 2020, Melanie has taken on several education-adjacent service roles, including serving as a board member of the Kansas Association of Conservation and Environmental Education (KACEE), board member at Kansas Alliance for the Arts in Education (KSAAE), member of the Kansas Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC), and she is a member of the National Association of State Boards of Education where she serves on the finance committee and is co-chair of the EdTech Committee.

Melanie is currently serving her second year as chairman of the state board, elected by her fellow board members. Governor Laura Kelly appointed Melanie to the Kansas Volunteer Commission in 2023. In January of 2024, Melanie was elected to chair the Kansas Special Education Funding Task Force, comprised of legislators and education stakeholders.