Melissa and her family made San Antonio their home in 2012. She currently works as an Associate Professor of Early Childhood at Texas A&M University – San Antonio and has worked in the field of education as an early childhood teacher, program director, teacher trainer, and faculty member for over 25 years. Service is important to Melissa and she enjoys assisting local early childhood organizations, supporting youth in foster care, and helping non-profit animal support organizations.

Melissa and her family began their work with guide dog organizations in 2018 when her daughter, Lauren, became interested in being a puppy-raiser for a local guide dog organization. Since then, Melissa and her family have worked with two different guide-dog organizations helping as puppy-sitters, doing puppy socialization, and providing a home for guide dogs in-training before they move on to the next phase of their K-9 careers. Working with guide dogs-in-training felt like a natural next step for Melissa after several years of work with animal rescue organizations including Southwest English Setter Rescue, The Humane Society, and Animal Defense League.

Before her two children left for college, volunteering with animal non-profits was something her whole family enjoyed doing. Melissa’s husband Andy helped to observe if rescued English Setters have hunting potential/drive, Lauren helped with neonate kittens and as a puppy-raiser for three guide dogs-in-training; and, even her son, Nicholas, used his passion for mechanical engineering to design and construct animal wheelchairs for disabled cats and dogs.