Melissa is a DC-area native, and grew up with a cockatiel named Moe, and a Solomon Island eclectus named Darwin in the house. She earned her Bachelor of Music at James Madison University. After some professional twists and turns, including teaching English in South Korea, she forged into the environmental nonprofit world. Melissa comes to ABC most recently from the Urban Land Institute, and before that from local urban forestry nonprofit Casey Trees. Melissa is taking up bird photography, and for about two weeks each year is an avid morel mushroom hunter.