Melissa is a proud native of Central Louisiana, graduating from Alexandria Senior High in 1999 where her love for volunteerism began. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern State University and a Master of Arts from Louisiana State University - both in Anthropology, the study of people and cultures, which helps her understand and support the diverse needs of this area. Since May 2025, she has been honored to serve as the Resource Development Manager for the United Way of Central Louisiana, where she gets to live out her passion for non-profit service, fundraising, and the social sciences every day.
Melissa has been an active member of the Junior League of Alexandria since 2014 (now sustaining) and has held numerous committee chair positions focused on public relations, marketing, and fundraising (A Very Merry Market and Annual Campaign). As a mom to two remarkable daughters, she volunteered as a Girl Scouts of Louisiana Pines to the Gulf Troop Co-Leader for five years at Alexandria Country Day School. She is now incredibly humbled to have been inducted as a member of the Lions Club Board of Directors as of June 2025, continuing her commitment to service and leadership in the community she loves.