Great Minds in STEM and the Mellado family are saddened to announce the passing of Carmela C. Mellado, who co-founded the organization alongside her late husband, Ray.
From GMiS CEO Dr. Norman Fortenberry:
“GMiS was founded over 35 years ago by two impressive visionaries. We lost Ray in 2022, and now we have lost the elegant and graceful Carmela. We mourn her departure, but through our work, our scholars, and our honorees, we continue her and Ray’s legacy. Theirs is a living multi-generational tribute with the continuing impact of contributing to greater inclusion of America’s full range of talent in science, technology, math, engineering, and medical professions.”
A true pioneer in the Latino Community, Carmela was the founding Editor-in-Chief of Hispanic Engineer Magazine, the first national publication dedicated to profiling Latinos in the STEM fields. In 1989, she co-founded the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Conference, the precursor to Great Minds in STEM, and in 1999 she founded Technica Magazine.
A talented and passionate writer and interviewer, Carmela helped tell the stories of hundreds of world class Latino engineers and scientists, bringing them to a national audience and into the consciousness of the larger Hispanic community for the first time. Prior to her magazine career, she partnered with other organizations like the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and the California Association of Mexican American Contractors to launch and publish their national newsletters.
Carmela was also a champion of public education, serving on the state-sanctioned Schoolsite Council for a local East Los Angeles elementary school for many years. She was also a successful businesswoman, overseeing her family mortuary that will celebrate its 100th year in consecutive operation in 2024. A native and lifelong resident of Southern California, she was a graduate of Santa Paula Union High School in Ventura County, and California State University, Los Angeles. Carmela passed away at her home in Pasadena, surrounded by her family. She was preceded in passing by Ray Mellado, her husband of 51 years, and she’s survived by her 3 adult children, 6 grandchildren, two great grandchildren, and the many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends who were blessed to have her in their life.
