Melissa Boteach

Half in Ten Manager

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Melissa Boteach is the Half in Ten Manager at the Center for American Progress Action Fund. In this capacity she coordinates “Half in Ten: The Campaign to Cut Poverty in Half in Ten Years,” a project designed to build the political and public will to reduce poverty by promoting decent work, providing opportunity for all, building wealth, and increasing economic security.

Prior to joining the Center for American Progress , Melissa worked as a senior policy associate and the Poverty Campaign Coordinator at the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, or JCPA, where she represented the JCPA to Congress, the administration, and in coalition on issues related to poverty, the federal budget, hunger, housing, and health care. As Poverty Campaign coordinator, Melissa designed, spearheaded, and implemented JCPA’s national anti-poverty campaign, which has been launched in more than 50 U.S. cities and co-chaired the national effort, “Fighting Poverty with Faith” a project endorsed by over 20 national faith-based organizations and nearly 100 communities across the country to elevate the issue of poverty in the 2008 elections.

A Harry S. Truman and George J. Mitchell Scholar, Melissa earned a master's degree in equality studies from University College Dublin. She also graduated summa cum laude from the University of Maryland with degrees in government and Spanish and was the sole recipient of the university's highest honor, the University Medal, for exceptional service, leadership and scholarship.

Melissa has been published in the Washington Post/Newsweek On Faith blog, the Jewish Daily Forward, and Sh’ma Magazine.