Anytown Alabama Co-Director Team

Melissa Self Patrick 

Melissa has served in executive leadership, program and fundraising development capacities in several greater Birmingham non-profit and faith-based entities for 35+ years. Her past roles include being Executive Director of Youth Leadership Forum, Development Director for Birmingham Youth Serve, Training Organizer for AL Constitutional Reform with GBM, and Executive Director of Urban Ministry, Inc. Most recently, Melissa was Director of Community Ministries & Outreach at IPC, where she directed the expansion of food security supports for children at Hayes K8 School in Woodlawn and was inspired and transformed by leading international journeys to Mwandi, Zambia; Chiapas, Mexico; and Nairobi, Kenya, along with relationship building journeys in Wilcox County in Alabama’s Black Belt. ​

Kierra Burks 

Kierra fully understands the value of the programs ACE has to offer as she began her journey with ACE participating in Heritage ​Panel at her high school. She then participated in Anytown Alabama as a delegate in 2019 then came back to serve on staff in 2022 and as co-director in 2023. Kierra is highly involved in her community as she works with The Transformative Justice Coalition to encourage young people to use their vote, has been a fellow for the Jefferson County Memorial Project, and an active member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Incorporated. She aims to empower young people to use their voice and make a change in their communities. In her free time Kierra enjoys to read, write poetry, and sleep! She is also a 1L law student at Faulkner Law School.