Congratulations to the May 2026 Employee of the Month:
Marketing and Communications Specialist in the District Division,
Melanie Sanborn!
Melanie is being recognized for her leadership and dedication in overseeing the District’s Regional Mapping and Wayfinding Project, a monumental effort requiring extensive coordination with external agencies as well as collaboration across multiple internal departments, including Planning, Marketing, Bus Operations, and Ferry Operations. In addition to her project work, Melanie actively supports employee well-being by providing resources and updates through the District’s Wellness Committee (Wellness Committee). Melanie's colleagues consistently describe her as approachable, positive, and professional and note her friendly attitude and commitment to both internal and external customers contribute to a welcoming and supportive workplace that reflects the District’s values.
Melanie joined the District in 2002 as a Marketing and Communications Specialist, and this is her third time receiving the Employee of the Month Award. Prior to joining the District, she worked as the Vice President of Marketing & Communications for Easter Seals Missouri in St. Louis, as Marketing Manager at MicroDesign Resources in Sebastopol, and as an Event Coordinator at the Foundation for Critical Thinking in Rohnert Park. Melanie was born in Manassas, Virginia and attended Sonoma State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and minored in Biology. She has been a resident of Petaluma, since 2008, where she lives with her spouse, Stefan. They have two children -- Roxanne is a junior at UC Irvine and Jaxon will be a freshman at UC San Diego in the fall. Melanie enjoys finding California native plants that will thrive in her garden, volunteers with the Petaluma River Cleanup, and plants trees in Petaluma neighborhoods and parks with ReLeaf Petaluma.
