Melissa Dunn has made the workers’ compensation industry her life’s work for more than thirty years,  beginning on an adjusters desk. Now Chief Sales Officer at Paradigm and a board member of Kids’ Chance of Illinois (KCIL), she has seen firsthand the power and impact of the Kids’ Chance community.

Through the years, getting to know Kevin Turner, Ken Martino, Jim Hudak, and other brand ambassadors brought to the forefront for Melissa the importance of Kids’ Chance. And, at one time, having five college-aged kids of her own made evident the challenges of affording a child’s education — even if there wasn’t a workplace accident to impact your family’s finances.

“I fully understood how difficult it can be to deal with costs (of college), even if you had planned and saved,” Melissa says.

Active with Kids’ Chance at both the state and national level over the years, and at a point now in her career and life when she can be more financially charitable, Melissa thinks a lot about her legacy — and honoring both her parents who instilled in her the value in giving back.

She has asked herself and encourages others to ask: What is your legacy? How do you give back? How do I want to be remembered when I go?

To Melissa, it’s not just about money. She stresses that there are so many ways to contribute that don’t involve writing a check. At the state level, volunteers can help through gifts of time and talent,  fostering relationships with members of the community — getting people involved in golf events, auctions, etc. — so that as their engagement and financial means grow, they already understand Kids’ Chance.

In her role at Paradigm, she feels fortunate to be at an organization that is integrated with the charitable organization she is deeply passionate about.

“I am so fortunate to be part of the Paradigm organization where Kids’ Chance is embedded in the culture,” she says. "The company supports the cause financially, through the time and talents of many of our staff and even operationally where we have processes to identify scholarship candidates.”

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‍About Kids’ Chance

Kids’ Chance gives the kids of workers who have been injured on the job a chance at a better future by providing scholarships and support. Since 1988, Kids’ Chance organizations have awarded over 9,300 scholarships totaling over $33.2 million dollars. To learn more about Kids' Chance, visit our website at www.kidschance.org.