Please join us in congratulating Melissa Gonzalez!

From Rhiannon Morales Foelker – CYDC Coordinator, GJ

“This Friday I got the privilege of attending an award ceremony where Hilltop’s Melissa Gonzalez won the District Attorney’s Office Outstanding Professional of the Year Award! Hilltop and the Colorado Youth Detention Continuum is lucky to have such a dedicated and talented employee working right here alongside us. Please join in celebrating the outstanding work Melissa provides for youth and families in our community.

Some of the amazing feedback and nominations are as follows:

‘The most steady person I know of in the juvenile justice system in Mesa County (outside of the DA’s office) Is Melissa Gonzalez……’

‘It’s not uncommon at all for me to receive a telephone call late at night, early in the morning or on a weekend from Melissa. The reason I get those calls from Melissa is because she truly cares about the juveniles in our justice system, cares about public safety, cares about doing the right thing……Melissa and the people she work with have the very challenging job of helping screen kids in for the HUGE AMOUNT of juvenile detention beds we have in Mesa County, 9…..’

‘Melissa is dependable. If you call her, she answers. If you email her, she responds. If you ask something of her, she does it…….’

‘Melissa has been an absolute ROCK as our main juvenile screener for CYDC. She is really the most stable person over there. She answers her phone and returns emails timely including after hours and weekends. Melissa really cares about our juveniles and is always pleasant. She is overworked and underpaid and we are so lucky to be able to work with her.’

‘Melissa is tirelessly dedicated to making the juvenile system work the way it is intended. She connects with juveniles in a sincere manner while still holding them accountable. Melissa is also responsive to calls and requests made by the DA’s office. Additionally, Melissa is willing to call with questions when she has them. She does this all with a great attitude and smile on her face.'”

“Melissa is always willing to go the extra mile for families in need, she is willing to go out all hours of the day, night or weekend to ensure the safety of the community whether it is to revoke a bond, UA a youth or provide support to law enforcement. Melissa is a staple of CYDC in the 21st as well as the Western Region and is often outreached by State Level Stakeholders for training purposes and to ask her advice on practices of our judicial district. Melissa does her job with elegance, grace and a smile on her face, despite the challenges she is faced with daily. She has created strong relationships in the community and is a wealth of historical knowledge. Melissa has touched the lives of countless families, youth and professionals in the Western Slope, forever impacting them in a positive way. She is well deserving of this award, and I am honored to work with her and learn from her daily. Our community is stronger, safer and a better place because of her dedication over the years to justice involved youth and families.'”