Melaney Linton The Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast Board of Directors has appointed Melaney Linton as the next president and CEO. She is the daughter of Robert and Margaret Linton of Kingsville.

Linton, who currently serves as COO, will assume the role currently held by Peter J. Durkin on March 1, 2012.

Linton has had a long, successful career with PPGC. Just two weeks ago, Linton celebrated her 24th anniversary of employment with PPGC.

She has provided leadership in a variety of roles. Linton has a knack for getting the right people on the bus and in the right seats so the individual and the organization can excel.

A 1985 graduate of Texas A&M University, Linton began her career with Planned Parenthood in January 1988 as a clinic assistant. She was promoted to quality assurance/risk management coordinator later that year. In 1992, Linton had a leadership role on the Security Task Force and trained hundreds of volunteers for clinic defense in preparation for the Republican National Convention.

Over the years, Linton has played a pivotal role in the expansion of the service area and of the range of services provided to clients.

In 1993, Linton was promoted to director of clinic operations and risk anagement, after completing the renovation of the Greenspoint health center while managing the construction and expansion of the former Fannin headquarters.

She helped open the new Stafford health center and reorganized the Rosenberg and Dickinson health centers. In 1997, Linton assumed the role of vice president of medical services and a year later was appointed senior vice president of medical services.

In that role, she oversaw the expansion of abortion services to the Bryan health center.

In 2007, Linton was promoted to chief operating officer and provided guidance for the management and ultimate merger with Planned Parenthood of Louisiana and the Mississippi Delta (PPLAMD).

Most recently she has played a key role in the expansion of medical services through two new proposed health centers: Northwest health center slated to open later this month in Houston and a new flagship health center for New Orleans to open next year.

On the national level, Linton served as consultant to the Consortium of Abortion Providing Affiliates (CAPS) from 1996-2000.

She chaired the PPFA National Patient Services Council Steering Committee from 2001-2005. She served on the PPFA National Medical Committee from 1998-2005.

Linton said she truly understands the Planned Parenthood mission and is prepared for her upcoming challenging role.

This is evident from her statements made at yesterday’s PPGC Roe v. Wade luncheon.

“I am honored and humbled to be entrusted with such a sacred duty,” she said. “I pledge to do everything in my power to fight back against the ideological attacks on Planned Parenthood and women, so that no teen will ever say she didn’t know how she got pregnant, no one will ever be denied basic reproductive health care, and no woman will ever be forced to bear children she cannot adequately support.”