Melissa Steward

Melissa oversees the Marketing, FatherSOURCE Resource Center, and Graphic Design needs at NFI, and assists with Product Design. She received her BA from George Mason University in Communication, and also holds Certificates in Graphic and Web Design from Montgomery College. Before NFI, Melissa worked at MarketBridge, a Marketing Consulting firm providing go-to-market strategy and execution for Fortune 500 clients in the technology, healthcare, and financial industries. For several years prior, she was Marketing Director for a McDonald's franchisee, where she managed local store marketing and community outreach for 18 McDonald's locations. 

In her free time, Melissa volunteers for another Maryland based non-profit, Hero Dogs, which trains and provides service dogs to military veterans. Melissa lives in Germantown, Maryland with her husband, and three Maine Coon cats.

Kayla Cates-Brown

Prior to joining National Fatherhood Initiative, Kayla worked in the educational field as an assistant director for a child care center and as a pre-school teacher. At National Fatherhood Initiative, Kayla supports the Marketing, Commiunications, and Program Support Teams. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology from the University of North Texas. She enjoys reading, swimming, and traveling with her family. She and her husband live in Austin, TX and have two daughters.

Nick Smarrelli

Nick joined NFI in 2012 as the Resource Center Manager. He received his BA in Communication with a minor in Marketing Management from Salisbury University in 2009. While attending SU, he was part of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) where he served as Vice President of Public Relations his senior year. Previously, Nick has worked in distribution and retail management. Nick lives in Frederick, Maryland with his wife Kayleigh, and German Shepherd, Kona.