Melissa received her J.D. (concentration in Public Interest and Social Justice) from Santa Clara University School of Law in 2003. Melissa was an early practitioner with Fresh Lifelines for Youth. Melissa was a Public Defender in Solano County. With that trial experience, Melissa went on to join a boutique criminal defense firm in Berkeley, CA and practiced in multiple jurisdictions throughout Northern California. In January 2010, Melissa returned to Santa Clara School of Law where she currently serves as a Staff Attorney and Policy Liaison for the Northern California Innocence Project, where she litigates cases of wrongful conviction, supervises clinical law students, and testifies for legislative reforms inspired by innocence work.