Melissa White
Melissa Snipes
Biography
Melissa White is the Superintendent of Oklahoma Youth Academy Charter School and the Director of Education for the Office of Juvenile Affairs. Mrs. White came to the Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA) on December 28, 2015. Prior to this position, she worked at the Oklahoma State Department of Education, where she was the Executive Director of Counseling/ACE. From 2006-2011 she served as an elementary school counselor for Mustang Public Schools. While at Mustang, she also served as the Chair of the Response to Invention (RTI) team and the Administrator of Special Education for her building. From 2002-2006, Mrs. White served as a therapist for Youth Habilitation Center which is a Level E group home for adjudicated youth. While at Youth Habilitation Center she worked with administration to open Southern Plains Treatment Center. Southern Plains Treatment Center is an acute residential inpatient facility for children in Oklahoma.
For many years, Mrs. White has worked as a child, youth and family therapist and as a supervisor of inpatient services. She has served on several boards and councils, including the Oklahoma Workforce Committee, Court Improvement Program, Oklahoma School Counselor Association, Oklahoma Counselor Association, CareerTech’s CRC Committee, and Child Abuse Training and Coordination. She was awarded Teacher of the Year in 2010-2011. Mrs. White also received the Employee of the Quarter award from the Oklahoma State Department of Education in 2012.
Mrs. White attended Oklahoma State University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology in 2001 and then attended the University of Oklahoma where she earned a master’s degree in community counseling in 2004. She has been a licensed professional counselor since 2006.