Melinda Barbour-Word is the CEO and President of My Brother’s Keeper of North Carolina, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides sober living transitional housing. She is also the owner of Word Counseling and Consulting, where she offers expert therapeutic services, and a Treatment Practitioner at Prince William County Community Services Board, providing comprehensive mental health support. Melinda is a retired U.S. Air Force Major with 22 years of service. She is actively involved in her community as a Board Member at Resurrection Church, where she also leads the Children’s Ministry. She holds an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marymount University, an MBA in Human Resources Management from Trident University, and a BS in Management Studies from the University of Maryland Global Campus. Residing in Northern Virginia with her husband and her service dog, Jennifer. Melinda cherishes her family, including four adult children and a son-in-law. She continues to empower individuals through advocacy, counseling, and leadership.