As Assistant Dean of Achievement and Impact, Barbara Melendez leads initiatives that strengthen student achievement and professional readiness. Through mentoring, program design, and evidence-based practices, she equips students with the skills and opportunities to excel as scholars, practitioners, and leaders. These efforts extend Wake Forest Law's influence by preparing graduates who contribute with distinction to the profession and the communities they serve.

Dean Melendez lectures on the responsibility of lawyers to shape meaningful change, cross-cultural communication, leadership in law, and professional identity formation. Drawing on research, data, and practical insights, she challenges students to connect their preparation with their professional obligations, fostering leadership grounded in dignity, civility, and purpose.

Barbara brings decades of legal and academic leadership to this role. A licensed attorney in Utah, she has served as a partner, shareholder, and corporate counsel with expertise in immigration, compliance, employment, and global strategy. Her career includes representing a wide range of clients from multinational corporations and nonprofits to educational and religious institutions.

Before joining Wake Forest Law, she served as Director of Belonging, Achievement, and Impact at Brigham Young University’s J. Reuben Clark Law School, where she led programs to advance professional pathways, promote student success, and develop professional identity. Her leadership emphasized measurable outcomes, including initiatives that improved student readiness for practice, created forums for professional growth, and connected students with opportunities to engage meaningfully in the legal community. These efforts laid the foundation for students to not only succeed in law school but to contribute to the profession in lasting ways.

Her vision is to ensure every student is equipped to reach their fullest potential, creating a meaningful and enduring impact on the profession and the communities it serves.