By Melanie Davis
Never stop learning.
It is a motto Melanie Bullard has lived by and now seeks
to instill in the youth of Watauga County as the executive
director of the Watauga Education Foundation.
Melanie Bullard smiles,
while her eight-year-old son, Mac, has a laugh of
his own. Not pictured is daughter Olivia. Photo
by Mark Mitchell |
Born in Charlotte, Bullard spent weeks during
her youth in the High Country at summer camps and weekend
family trips. She moved to Knoxville, Tenn. at the age of
11 with her mother.
“My father died while I was young and my mother worked
and raised two children,” Bullard said. “I give
her credit as a wonderful role model. She taught me I could
be or do anything.”
She attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, majoring
in design. However, it was a part-time job at the public
transportation office that led Bullard to a career.
Her tasks at the transportation office included listening
to a police scanner, alerting the bus drivers of traffic
problems or vehicle collisions that might cause delays.
As the delays occurred, Bullard would call the local radio
stations to alert them.
The relationship with media grew into a position at a local
radio station. From there Bullard moved into television
news where she stayed for 20 years.
In 1996, Bullard and her husband moved to Louisville, Ky.
She had two years left on a contract with an NBC affiliate
station as an anchor on the 5:30 and 11 p.m. news.
“I got to work with some really good journalists,”
she said. “But it had changed a lot, lost some its
altruism.”
Bullard was ready for a change.
“I believe people should change jobs every five years
and careers every ten,” Bullard said. “It’s
about growth. You take the skills you’ve learned and
apply them to a new position.”
With the personal growth and drive to learn in mind, Bullard
left journalism for a position at Louisville advertising
agency Creative Alliance in a public relations position.
“I stayed there and helped to grow the business,”
she said. The agency was new, owned by a friend of Bullard,
Debbie Scoppecio.
When her children were born, Bullard left Creative Alliance
to start her own consulting firm, helping businesses with
public relations and growth.
A short time later, Bullard found herself in corporate America,
working for Yum Brands. The corporation is the parent company
for several large restaurant chains.
Bullard worked for Yum Brands for nearly 10 years in video
production, executive speech writing, addressing cultural
change. A focal point was to help the company create a fun
atmosphere for its employees, while maintaining results.
Throughout the years since her girlhood days at summer camp,
Bullard maintained a connection to the High Country. She
visited every year “with rare exceptions.”
In 2006, Bullard and her husband brought their two children
to the Ghost Train event at Tweetsie Railroad.
“We hiked on the [Blue Ridge] Parkway, walked through
downtown Boone, and I looked at my husband and asked ‘Could
you live here?’” Bullard said. “I have always
been drawn to this area.”
Her children were in the first and second grades, so she
felt this would be a good time to move adding that it was
now or never.
“I wouldn’t have wanted to move them when they
were in high school.”
The area’s caring, laid-back atmosphere appealed to
Bullard as a good place to raise her children.
“It was a big life change,” she said referred
to her position as a corporate executive. “I chucked
it to raise my family in this environment. Every community
has a dark side, but its far better here.”
She picked up a newspaper and perused the classifieds for
an open position.
“I felt like I needed to make a difference and give
back,” she said. “I have been blessed with good
health and a strong family.”
The position as executive director for the Watauga Education
Foundation jumped out at Bullard. She prepared a resume,
was hired in December 2006 and never looked back. The family
moved in July 2007.
Bullard has come full circle from the altruistic aspect
that drew her to journalism, through the corporate world,
and back to the altruistic sense of the WEF.
The organization works to meet the creative, cross-curricular
needs not met by state budgets through grants and continuing
education. The foundation also brings the community into
the education system through volunteer programs, donations
and the annual Shooting Stars event.
“This is a phenomenal organization,” Bullard said.
“The education system is a vital part of infrastructure.
It must be top notch to attract physicians and professors
to the area.”
Bullard said she is excited about the opportunity to bring
the skills she has to this position and be a positive influence
on someone’s life.
For more information on the Watauga Education Foundation
visit www.wefnc.org.
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