Stuart Mellan

Stuart Mellan served for twenty-five years as the President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona, having retired in May of 2020.  In this role he established strategic partnerships and played an advisor role with numerous nonprofit organizations, many of whom received funding from the Federation or its Foundation.  These nonprofits included organizations active in a variety of disciplines, including: education, youth services, elder care, social justice, behavioral health, the arts, and social services. 

He also served as an advisor and partner with hundreds of lay leaders and philanthropists.  

During his time in Tucson, the Federation excelled in financial resource development, creative programming, strategic planning and community collaborations.  Annual fundraising more than doubled, and the assets of the Foundation grew from $10 million to over $100 million; over $30 million in capital campaigns were conducted during his tenure. Under Stuart’s leadership, the Federation conducted a population study and various strategic plans, and it helped to develop new  programmatic initiatives to create an even more vibrant, collaborative and inclusive community.  His broader community involvements included service on the Leadership Council of the Cradle2Career project for the United Way, and he was honored in 2019 as one of the Steele Memorial’s Father of the Year Awardees to benefit Juvenile Diabetes Research.

His career in various nonprofit settings included positions as Executive Director,  Development Director and as Supervisor of  Camping and Youth Services.  His for-profit experience was as an executive with a fortune 500 apparel company.   

Widowed as a young man, Stuart married Nancy who was also widowed young.  They created a new family with their five young children. Nancy’s career as a dance educator and included founding of ZUZI Dance Company. Stuart holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania and a BA in Psychology from SUNY in Oneonta.  Aside from his love of family and community work, Stuart leads a jazz quartet that plays in various Tucson venues.