With more than 30 years of experience working in the public and private sector in New York and New Jersey, Melody Scott exemplifies integrity and hard work. She has a proven track record of being a consummate, results-driven professional who produces solutions to improve the conditions of urban communities and the people who live in them. Highly regarded by her colleagues as a no-nonsense team player, Melody is a master of reinvention. She first began her career at the age of 19 when she was employed as a NYC Probation Officer for nearly two decades before an early retirement in 2006. With a passion for public service, Mrs. Scott successfully transitioned into a second career working under Mayor Wayne Smith and Mayor Tony Vauss in the Township of Irvington, NJ. There, she served in the capacity of Director for the Neighborhood Preservation Program. In this new role, Melody immersed herself in learning all aspects of redevelopment, including working on some of the largest projects in the township, managing the vacant and abandoned properties division, and creating an illegal dumping task force to hold violators accountable. A lifelong learner, Melody used this new career path to advance her education, earning her certification as a Public Manager from Rutgers University in Newark, while continuing to practice real estate, another career she has enjoyed since 2000. Both credentials afforded Melody the distinct opportunity to bring added value to her position during a period when the housing market crashed and urban communities like Irvington and her hometown of East Orange, NJ were saddled with foreclosures. Among her responsibilities included identifying problem properties and returning them to the tax rolls. Mrs. Scott believes her real estate experiences coupled with her past professional experiences are a match made in heaven. Compassionate and empathetic by nature, Melody relishes in the pure enjoyment of helping others achieve their dreams of homeownership. Over the past two years, Melody created a team of six (6) real estate agents with her home agency, Exit Platinum Realty. Despite working under the pressure of a volatile housing market and global public health crisis, Melody has continued to be a blessing to others, recently selling more than 20 homes throughout the Tri-State /DMV area. Trained by some of the best in the field, she is committed to applying her skills, abilities, and knowledge to continue to help others. In addition to several other certifications gained over the years, Melody notably received certifications through an Executive Leadership Course at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 2011 and the New Jersey Governor’s Institute in 2007. Currently, Mrs. Scott works on special projects in the Office of Mayor Ted R. Green in East Orange, where she has led the charge to develop operational and logistical improvements to address the city’s parking challenges — a primary concern of residents, visitors and commuters alike. Melody is a 1985 graduate of East Orange High School and she holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Cheyney University of Pennsylvania. Married for 10 years to her soulmate Todd Scott who she also attended Kindergarten. They share a friendship for over 40 years prior to dating. They both enjoy traveling and spending times with her most precious commodity family.