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Dr. Marlene Melzer-Lange has dedicated an extraordinary 45-year career to improving the health, safety, and well-being of Milwaukee’s children, with a special focus on the city’s most vulnerable youth. A Professor of Pediatrics at the Medical College of Wisconsin and a Pediatric Emergency Medicine specialist at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Dr. Melzer-Lange has been a pioneer in the field of violence prevention and adolescent health. She has served Milwaukee with a deep-rooted commitment, not only as a physician but also as a tireless advocate and a compassionate mentor to many, including her favorite mentee, Dr. Michael Levas.
In the early 1980s and 1990s, Dr. Melzer-Lange founded and directed the Teen Pregnancy Service of Milwaukee, a comprehensive program for pregnant adolescents and their children that provided crucial support and medical care for teenage mothers. Recognizing the complex needs of youth impacted by violence, she was also instrumental in the founding of Project Ujima in 1996 and served as its Medical Director from 2001 to 2020. This program, which she built in partnership with Children’s Hospital, the Medical College of Wisconsin, local law enforcement, and community organizations, is the longest-standing hospital-based violence prevention initiative in the country and is widely regarded as a gold standard in violence prevention. Project Ujima serves over 300 youth and 500 adults each year, with documented improvements in quality of life, peer relations, and mental health for participating youth.
Dr. Melzer-Lange’s impact on violence intervention extends nationally. Through her leadership, Project Ujima helped anchor the National Hospital Alliance for Violence Intervention, a network advancing policy and research in violence prevention. Locally, she has been equally dedicated, launching the Parklawn Peace Coalition to support violence prevention among young children and their families, as well as developing Project Staying Alive, an anti-violence curriculum for Milwaukee Public Schools. Additionally, she founded the Family Violence Program at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, which offers essential training and education for healthcare providers on violence intervention.
Her advocacy extends to serving on various boards and councils dedicated to injury and violence prevention, including past service as President of the Injury Free Coalition for Kids and as a member of the Governor’s Council on Domestic Violence Prevention. Her work has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Department of Justice’s National Award for Professional Innovation in Victim Services, the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Michael Shannon Humanitarian Award, the MCW President’s Community Engagement Award, and the Wisconsin Medical Society Superhero of Medicine Award.
When not working, Dr. Melzer-Lange enjoys traveling with her husband, George, spending time with her grandchildren, and relaxing at her cabin in northern Wisconsin. Her life’s work is a testament to her unwavering dedication to improving the lives of Milwaukee’s youth, and her legacy will continue to inspire future generations of healthcare providers and community advocates.
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