Director, Center on Early Learning and Youth Development/Spark and CCR&R Director

Robyn Lopez Melton is the Coordinator of the Center on Early Learning and Youth Development at The Research Institute at Western Oregon University where she Co-Directs Spark, Oregon’s Quality Rating and Improvement System and the state coordination of Oregon’s Child Care Resource and Referral system. Robyn currently serves Chair of the NAEYC Affiliate Advisory Council and Past-President of OregonAEYC.She has worked in early learning for over 15 years. Her areas of expertise include working with monolingual Spanish speaking families, young children with multiple risk factors, parent education and Quality Rating and Improvement Systems. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from OSU Cascades campus with two BA degrees, Liberal Studies and International Studies and received her MSEd from WOU in 2018. In 2015, she was recognized by ExchangePress as an Exceptional Emerging Leader in Early Childhood Education. Robyn is also the mother of 2 and a licensed Zumba instructor.