Melissa Forsyth’s
compassion started early M
By Rachael Hanel | Submitted photos
elissa Forsyth saw firsthand at a young age what care and compassion for others looked like. She grew up in a home where her mother did foster care. “That allowed [my mom] to be in a position where she could really help provide care and compassion to families who really needed that, while also taking care of her own family. I watched her balance that,” says Forsyth, who works as the regional director of health services—Western Region for Planned Parenthood. That observation mode continued throughout Forsyth’s high school years, during which she encountered numerous obstacles. Since then, she’s thought a lot about what type of support she could have used during those challenging years. 4 • MARCH 2021 • Women
“I’m really striving to be the person I may have needed. That’s been my drive and vision statement. Where does that lead and take you?” she says. That passion for helping others has resulted in a long career in nonprofit work in the Mankato area. Before starting work at Planned Parenthood in the summer of 2018, Forsyth worked at the Committee Against Domestic Abuse (CADA) for 17 years. Jes Wysong, who worked with Forsyth at CADA, says Forsyth’s compassion for others stands out. “She’s really thoughtful and intentional about helping people that others might not have compassion for,” says Wysong, who now works as director of mission and social justice impacts at the Mankato YWCA.
