Campus Directory

Melissa "Mel" Toering relocated to Trinidad from Aurora Colorado in 2000. Mel joined the TSC program as an evening instructor of Adult Education in 2024 as a supplement to her volunteer work and small business as a Project Management Professional and Facilitator.
In October of 2025 Mel was asked to fill the Interim Director role for the Adult Education Program when Nicole Shannon exited to program for family reasons.
Mel and Louisa Dick were selected as Co-Directors of the Adult Education program in January of 2026.
Read more about Louisa (Mariell) Dick in her bio!

Mel has a passion for learning and collaborative organizational growth. Mel served as a Project Management Professional and Grants Manager for Aurora Water among other roles for 15 years preceding her move.

In that organization Mel led grant funding programs, ran grant funded projects, operations funded projects, and spearheaded internal technology and record management initiatives. Mel also served as the onboarding ambassador for the Water Department.

Many of Mel's projects included information systems and technology as well as employee change management.

While managing her career, Mel fostered a teen then took on fostering her eldest foster-grandchild while helping raise a nephew, niece, and three additional foster-grandchildren.

Mel's volunteer work in Trinidad includes:
Trinidad Trails Alliance (Board Member & co-founder)
Purgatoire Watershed Partnership
Trinidad's 250/150 Anniversaries Community Group (co-founder)
River Watch Colorado Parks and Wildlife