Melissa graduated from Kansas State University with B.A.s in Biology, Psychology, and Natural Resources and Environmental Science. After graduation, she headed to Zambia, where she worked for the Peace Corps on a project linking income, food, and the environment.

Melissa grew up with dogs and has always loved them. She worked as a vet tech and ran a canine daycare, but her first experience with working dogs was at the Denali National Park sled dog kennel. She knew then that she wanted a career that would combine wildlife conservation and dogs. Melissa's role as a Canine Field Specialist means that she spends a lot of time on the road and in the air, handling WD4C dogs in the field, training new candidates, and making sure they're all healthy, happy, and productive.