A country kid from the start (and still at heart), Melina Cohen grew up in rural Iowa and was an outspoken advocate for the separation of church and state from an early age.

Prior to joining American Atheists, Melina spent six years fighting harmful school privatization legislation in Nebraska, developing a deep understanding of education policy, a highly effective style of advocacy communications, and a strong aversion to the outsized influence of the religious lobby on government.

In 2020, Melina co-founded the Abolish Slavery National Network and guided a constitutional amendment ballot measure to a landmark and landslide victory, making Nebraska one of the first states to prohibit slavery and involuntary servitude without exception.

Melina holds a Bachelor of Multidisciplinary Studies in Criminal Justice, History, and English from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. When she isn’t advocating for evidence-based policies that promote the common good, Melina is an avid pun-maker, piano-player, and photo-taker.