Melissa Burleigh was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. She is the youngest of 6 brothers and 1 sister. In 2005, she moved to Portland, Oregon where she began volunteering at her childrens’ school; she has 2 sons and a daughter. Over the years, she has been an instructional assistant, Title I instructional reading assistant, reading tutor, AVID Tutor, and English Language Learner Paraprofessional. Melissa graduated from Warner Pacific with a B.S. in Human Development and from Western Governors University with a Master’s in Teaching.

Melissa lives in Vancouver, Washington with her husband, daughter, and 2 step-daughters. They have a cat, Bowser, and a Boxer puppy, Lylah. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She also loves playing board or card games; she can be very competitive, as well as hiking, camping, and kayaking. When she has time to herself she enjoys playing piano and guitar.