Melissa Damaschke is the vice president of programs at the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation and the senior program officer for the Foundation’s Great Lakes grants program. As a leader in philanthropy and sustainability in metro Detroit, Melissa passionately oversees the grantmaking process for the Foundation in her role as vice president of Programs. Prior to this position, Melissa served as the program officer for Great Lakes initiatives for five years.

Before joining the Erb Family Foundation, Melissa was the director of the Sierra Club’s Great Lakes program, where she coordinated grassroots efforts to protect Great Lakes ecosystems and supported widespread use of green stormwater infrastructure in Detroit and Milwaukee. In that role, she also served as a Trustee of the Fund for Lake Michigan, as Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the City of Detroit’s Green Task Water Subcommittee, as a Vision Keeper for Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit, and as a member of the Governance Board for the Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Coalition.

She was selected for a 2022 Environmental Achievement award from her alma mater, Northland College, for her outstanding contributions to environmental health and restoration.

When Melissa isn’t working, you will find her playing with her kids, enjoying a local brewery with her husband, kayaking, and cheering on the Green Bay Packers. Melissa holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from Northland College.