Melinda Ivey, Belen Public Health Nurse Supervisor, Named Outstanding Woman

Melinda Ivey has spent more than two decades as a registered nurse, the last 16-plus years of them rooted in the same Belen community where she grew up. The nurse supervisor at the Belen Public Health Office was recognized in the Valencia County News-Bulletin's Outstanding Women of Valencia County series, published March 12, 2026.

Ivey graduated from Belen High School in 1988, went on to earn an associate's degree in nursing from CNM, and later completed a bachelor's degree in nursing from Grand Canyon University, with honors. That educational arc mirrors her professional one: steady, deliberate, and grounded in service to Valencia County.

At the Belen Public Health Office, she works alongside Melinda Templeton, the clinic's second nurse, and Valerie Holliday Cosby, clerk for the DOH clinic. Ivey was quick to share the recognition. "They too are outstanding women of Valencia County and are a big part of being able to do my job within the community," she said.

Her reach extends well beyond the clinic walls. Ivey serves on the Health and Mental Service Advisory Committee for the Headstart program, the Student Health and Wellness Advisory Committee for Belen Consolidated Schools, and the Committee Advisory for UNM-VC. She also works as a teen educator for YDI.

Asked how she defines success, Ivey offered a perspective shaped by years at the front lines of community health. "I define success as making a meaningful impact — helping others, advocating for my patients and continuously learning. It's not just about personal achievements but about creating positive changes in my community," she said.

Balancing that commitment with personal life has taken practice. "Work-life balance has been difficult for me in the past, but I am finally learning to take time for myself," she said. "It seems to have a few more challenges than when I began here at the Belen Public Health Office over 16 years ago, so it takes considerably more energy at times, but I unquestionably still enjoy fulfilling this role in the community. I am a people person, and I love the community that I have lived in all my life. I have been blessed to be in this position for all these years!"

Outside the office, Ivey is a wife and mother of two adult children, and describes herself as a daughter, sister, auntie, cousin, niece, godmother, mother-in-law and dog mama to two.