Season One · Melinda Moulton
How Cliff Jumping Changed Everything
Moments with Melinda
Learning to step into an uncertain future
Melinda Moulton’s story begins with childhood loss and follows a life of building, storytelling, and community work. Watching cliff divers in Acapulco became an image she carried into very different kinds of risk.
Her episode connects the family she built with Rick, their home in Vermont, and the values she brought to Burlington’s waterfront.
Before · The change · What came next
Before
Melinda experienced her parents’ divorce as a child and lost her mother when she was twelve. During a trip to Acapulco, watching cliff divers gave her an image of stepping into the unknown that stayed with her.
The change
Working in a Harvard laboratory brought Melinda into a new world and into a relationship with Rick. They later left that setting for Vermont, where they bought land and built a stone home by hand.
What came next
Melinda carried those values into sustainable development, filmmaking, and community work. Her Season One conversation looks at how the willingness to take risks shaped her family’s life and her role in transforming Burlington’s waterfront.
Guest Biography and Resources
Biography shared for Season One.
ABOUT MELINDA:
Vermont documentary filmmaker Melinda Moulton is an Executive Producer at Rick Moulton Productions. She and her husband, Rick, create historic documentary films and legacy films that celebrate people and organizations making a difference. Melinda co-founded the company in 1974 and today leads as Executive Producer.
Currently, Vermont documentary filmmaker Melinda Moulton is producing Ethan Allen – The Man & The Myth, a PBS documentary supported by the Vermont Historical Society, Ethan Allen Homestead, Vermont Humanities Council, Vermont Public, and the Fort Ticonderoga Museum.
In addition, Melinda and Rick are producing three legacy films: Vermont Academy: 150 Years of Learning & Leadership, Mad River Glen – The Skier’s Mountain, and a project for Eaglebrook School. They also create the annual award films for the Vermont Ski Museum and the International Ski History Association.
Leadership in Sustainable Development
For forty years, Melinda served as CEO of Main Street Landing. She led the redevelopment of Burlington’s waterfront with a model that emphasized teamwork, sustainability, and social responsibility. Under her leadership, the company built 250,000 square feet of space and invested over $30 million.
Her projects supported local artists, provided incubator space for start-ups, and promoted environmental awareness. People across the country recognize Main Street Landing as a model for sustainable development. As a result, Melinda earned awards from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Green Building Council, and the American Institute of Architects.
Community Service and Advocacy
Melinda has also played a major role in Vermont’s civic life. She chaired or served on boards such as Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, the Vermont Folklife Center, Special Olympics Vermont, Audubon Vermont, and the Vermont Arts Council. Today she continues to serve on the Planned Parenthood Action Fund and the Vermont Historical Society Board.
In addition, two Vermont governors appointed her to state councils. She co-chaired capital campaigns for the Lund Center and Planned Parenthood. She has also been a strong advocate for the return of passenger rail to Union Station in Burlington.
Storytelling and Media
For 21 years, Melinda hosted the CCTV program On the Waterfront with Melinda. Each month she interviewed local changemakers improving life in Vermont. Today she hosts Moments with Melinda, a syndicated TV show featuring writers, musicians, entrepreneurs, and activists who inspire change.
She continues to write essays for VTDigger and contributes to Writing About Our Generation. Recently she published a children’s book, Bobby Blue. She and Rick are also developing a new film, Minds of Autism, set for release in 2028.