Biography
Melanie Potyondy was initially appointed to represent District 4 as an interim City Councilmember in January 2021, serving three months and deepening her passion for serving the broader community. She was elected to return to the seat following the November 2023 municipal election and is grateful for the opportunity to serve on City Council again.
Melanie grew up in Grand Junction but has been a Front Range resident since moving to Fort Collins for college in 1998. She earned her undergraduate degree from Colorado State University and her Ph.D. in School Psychology from the University of Northern Colorado. She lives in southwest Fort Collins with her husband and two children.
Since graduating, Melanie has dedicated almost twenty years to public service through her career as a school-based mental health professional, serving as an active member of her educator union, engaging in frequent volunteerism in the Fort Collins community, and now two years of service as a City Council member. This work reflects a growing sense of stewardship of the community she serves. She has also served on numerous local and state boards and committees, including the Fort Collins Women’s Commission, the Colorado Society of School Psychologists, and the Colorado Department of Education’s Mental Health Advisory Committee.
These endeavors have given Melanie a keen sense of where the community is succeeding and where it does not meet the needs of all. A deliberate and integrative thinker and connector, she applies a systems perspective to problem-solving. She looks for root causes, observes the gaps and attends to those least likely to be heard. She is particularly attuned to areas where new or updated systems, programs and policies could benefit. She cares about equitable, sustainable outcomes that will serve not only current residents, but also those who will inherit Fort Collins in decades to come.
Through these experiences, and through her service on Council, Melanie has deepened her understanding of the City as a complex and interconnected ecosystem. She learns by being close to the work and the people, meeting with the chairs of the boards she serves as Council liaison for, spending time with community members, and working collaboratively with fellow Council members and City staff. She values being accessible and listening carefully, gaining insight from diverse perspectives across the community.
Key areas of interest that she brings to Council include strengthening the conditions that allow individuals, families, businesses and neighborhoods to thrive. This includes advancing affordable, attainable housing, expanding equity and inclusion across Fort Collins, investing in accessible and inclusive social supports, fostering a resilient local business community, and advancing environmental sustainability, including decisive action to address the climate emergency. Together, these focus areas reflect her belief that long-term community wellbeing depends on thoughtful, coordinated investment across systems rather than isolated solutions.
Melanie reduced her time working for the Poudre School District to fulfill her Councilmember commitments. Her family and her path of service matter greatly to her, and she is delighted to have been given the opportunity to work hard for the residents of District 4 during her term.
Terms
- Elected to first term: Nov. 7, 2023
- Eligible to seek second term: Nov. 2, 2027
Councilmembers are elected by district and may serve up to two consecutive four-year terms.