Lions Honor Leader Dogs for the Blind CEO Melissa Weisse with Prestigious Melvin Jones Fellowship Award 

Leader Dogs for the Blind is proud to congratulate our CEO, Melissa Weisse, on receiving the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award, one of the highest honors presented by Lions International. A member of the Rochester Lions Club, Melissa was honored with the recognition at a Lions event on Dec. 4, 2025, when more than 200 Lions from Michigan and Ontario gathered at the Somerset Inn in Troy to celebrate service and community. With support of Lions leaders from the local district, the Royal Oak Lions Club presented the award, underscoring how deeply Melissa’s leadership and mission-driven dedication resonate across the Lions community.

Melissa embodies the spirit of the Melvin Jones Fellowship through her compassion, integrity, and unwavering commitment to serving others. For more than 20 years, she has been a fierce advocate for the blind and low vision community, and advanced significant philanthropic growth for Leader Dog as its chief philanthropy officer. Melissa was appointed President and CEO of Leader Dogs for the Blind in 2023. She also serves as Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees for the American Foundation for the Blind.

“Melissa exemplifies the heart of Lionism and demonstrates a commitment to dedicated humanitarian service—the basic principle of being a Melvin Jones Fellow,” said Lion Laura Mastracci, President of the Royal Oak Lions Club. “We were privileged to bestow this honor on Melissa for the compassionate, hard-working Lion that she is.”

At the event, Lion Karen Burke, a Leader Dog client, also shared her perspective: “Melissa knows what she stands for, which is to serve. Not only is she a Lion, but she’s also very persistent in making sure that clients are served at Leader Dog. She listens to what we share and looks for ideas to improve our experience when we come for a program.”

Melissa expressed her deep appreciation for the recognition, saying, “To be awarded this by Lions who do so much good in this world is incredibly meaningful to me. I am proud to be a longtime Lion and to partner with Lions every day to advocate for people who are blind and to support the critical work of Lions globally.”

We are incredibly proud to see Melissa recognized with this esteemed honor and grateful to the Lions community for celebrating her extraordinary service and leadership.