Melissa, a Northern Virginia native, moved to Charlottesville with her husband more than twenty years ago to earn her Master of Teaching degree at the University of Virginia and eventually her Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Before returning to Virginia, she spent several years in San Francisco working for startups, where she met her future husband. After graduate school, Melissa joined Village School, a middle school for girls in downtown Charlottesville, where she spent fourteen years teaching, leading, and serving in administrative roles.

In 2018, Melissa joined Seven Rivers and has loved helping shape the school into the incredible community it is today. She is passionate about developing curriculum that reflects the school's mission and creating meaningful learning experiences grounded in best teaching practices. Seven Rivers reflects Melissa's belief, both as an educator and a parent, that children thrive when they feel safe, loved, and challenged.

Melissa and her husband, Paul, are the proud parents of two boys. Outside of school, you'll most likely find her exploring the outdoors with her family, riding bikes, fishing, swimming, hiking, or loudly cheering on her boys from the sidelines of a soccer field.