Judge Melonakis graduated Summa Cum Laude from Metropolitan State College in Denver, Colorado in 1974 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and Political Science.  He graduated With Distinction from the McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific in Sacramento, California in 1977.  He was admitted to the practice of law in 1977.  He has been the Presiding Juvenile Court Judge in the Adams County District Court since July, 2002.

Eileen Bisgard, J.D., Seventeenth Judicial District FASD Initiative Project Director

Ms. Bisgard graduated With Highest Distinction from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado in 1966 with a with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology.  She graduated from the University of Denver College of Law in Denver, Colorado in 1977.  She was admitted to the practice of law in 1977.  Ms. Bisgard has more than twenty-five years of experience as an advocate and innovator in the area of juvenile law.  She is a past chair of the Juvenile Law Committee of the Colorado Bar Association and has lectured and trained those involved with children and children's issues regarding fetal alcohol spectrum disorders for several years.  She has coordinated the start-up of several successful programs dealing with families and children.  She brings significant leadership, erudition and direction to this initiative as a result of that experience, education, and interest.

Melinda Taylor, Seventeenth Judicial District Administrator

Ms. Taylor graduated from Regis University, in Denver, Colorado in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Sociology.  She received a Masters  of Science of Legal Administration Degree from the University of Denver College of Law in Denver, Colorado in 1994.  She has served as a the State of Colorado's State Court Administrator's Office in the areas of policy development and judicial education prior to her appointment as District Administrator for the Seventeenth Judicial District in 2005.

Jennifer Mendoza, Juvenile Court Programs Coordinator

Ms. Mendoza graduated from University of Colorado, in Boulder Colorado with a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Communications in 1994.   She is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the  Juvenile Division for the Adams County District Court, supervising staff, and working on policy with her supervising judge with an emphasis on inter-agency cooperation, collaboration and coordination.

Tarrah Marcus, Staff Social Worker

Ms. Marcus graduated from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology.  She recently graduated from the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work in Denver, Colorado and received her Master's Degree in June, 2005.  Her studies focused on the clinical practice of social work with children and families.  She has interned for The Bridge Project, which serves inner-city and underprivileged children and the Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center. 

Kyla R. Stopperan, FASD Intervention Specialist 

Mrs. Stopperan graduated with honors from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology.  She has worked in the field of Social Work as a Caseworker/Treatment Coordinator for six years providing services to abused and neglected children, youth and their families.  She volunteered for the High Plains Critical Incident and Stress Management Team and currently volunteers for the Colorado CASA Organization. For the past year, she has worked as a division assistant for the Juvenile Court in Adams County working with Magistrates, Judges and families providing assistance through the court processes.