Melissa Harper-Butler is a SEED Program Officer with the United States Department of Education. She came to the Department in June 2022 with over nine years of experience in education. Prior to her transition to the Department, Melissa worked at the District of Columbia's state education agency, Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). 

At OSSE, Melissa served as a Change In Placement Coordinator and Program Analyst, as a member of the Division of Systems and Supports, K-12, addressing the educational needs of the District students with disabilities, providing training and technical assistance and managing grant activities for the DC Community Schools Incentive Initiative Grant, Truancy Prevention and Literacy Pilot Program and Title I, Part D. 

Melissa also has over 22 years of experience at the DC Child and Family Services Agency and Catholic Charities, managing the day-to-day program operations and providing various support services to children and families involved in the child welfare system. In her spare time, Melissa enjoys baking and watching Hallmark channel movies. 

Melissa has a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from The Catholic University of America of Washington, DC.