May 9, 2025 12:15 pm

Regular Meeting - Program Speaker Melissa Carter, Executive Director of the Barton Child Law and Policy Center at Emory University School of LawAdd Guest

Melissa Carter is a Clinical Professor of Law at Emory Law School and the Executive Director of the Barton Child Law and Policy Center, a multidisciplinary child law program seeking to promote and protect the legal rights and interests of children involved with the juvenile court, child welfare, and youth justice systems. In that role, she is responsible for the administration of the Center’s four clinics and other programming, directing the public policy and legislative advocacy clinics, and teaching child welfare and family law courses. Melissa brings more than 20 years of experience leading system change work through policy development, professional education, and legislative advocacy, including efforts that resulted in a comprehensive revision of Georgia’s Juvenile Code and dozens of state child welfare laws. She consults with state child welfare executives, judges, attorneys, and advocates across the U.S. and is a frequent presenter at local and state trainings and national conferences. She has published multiple book chapters and articles on child and family law and policy advocacy topics. Melissa also holds an appointment as a Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Morehouse School of Medicine.

Before joining Emory Law in 2010, Melissa served in various governmental roles and represented children, parents, and caregivers in adoption, fertility law, dependency, and delinquency matters while in private practice.

Rotary Club of Atlanta West End
Georgia Tech Hotel & Conference Center
800 Spring St NW
Atlanta, GA 30308