RioSlum Studio

Melinda Mansfield is an experienced advocate and educator for students with learning disabilities, and an enthusiastic reading tutor helping remediate students with evidence-based intervention that is explicit, systematic, sequential, and cumulative. She utilizes the evidence-based Orton Gillingham approach for intervention, including phonemic awareness, systematic phonics, fluency, vocabulary development, and text comprehension as appropriate based on the student’s demonstrated reading deficiencies.

Her service to the Loudoun Community has included serving her church community as a worship music lead; providing local entertainment at school events and festivals through her own business, Luv Ur Face; and serving as a Girl Scout Leader, including overseeing cookie sales and camp activities.

Previously in California, she worked as a music therapist and supervisor, serving students in special education as well as teaching teachers to implement a school-wide behavior modification program for students in special education. She began her career as a music therapist serving children and adults with significant developmental, medical and psychiatric needs.

She has been dedicated to dyslexia advocacy, serving on advisory boards, state workgroups and various committees over the years. She currently serves on the Virginia Joint Coalition for Learning Disabilities and Literacy and as a Decoding Dyslexia Virginia (DDVA) State Leader. Mansfield’s past service in this space includes serving on the National Center on Improving Literacy (NCIL) Family Engagement Advisory Board; on the Virginia Department of Education Workgroup for SB 1718; and, on the Loudoun County Public Schools Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC).

She holds a Master’s Degree in Music Therapy from Southern Methodist University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Mills College.