Melissa is from Houston, Texas. She received her Bachelor's in Geography and Russian Language from The University of Texas at Austin. While there, she studied abroad in St. Petersburg, Russia, and earned a certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). In 2008, she moved to Boston and enrolled in the Master of Public Health program at Boston University where she worked in Kenya on an evaluation of the government's Trachoma Integrated Project as part of her degree. Since completing her studies in 2011, she has worked at a small startup company that is developing a nutrition-focused smart phone app. She has also volunteered with the Vaccine Team at the Clinton Health Access Initiative, assisting on various projects. After gaining some professional experience, Melissa plans to return to school to further pursue her passion for geography and health by earning an advanced degree in GIS mapping, which she will use to combine her two professional interests. She has lived in Boston for four years and enjoys tennis, salsa dancing, and exploring her city.