She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in 2010 from Whitworth University and had her first experience in global health while volunteering in Tanzania as a Registered Nurse (RN) after graduation. Although she initially worked in the U.S. as an adult cardiac nurse, Melissa realized after her second trip to East Africa in 2012 that a career in pediatrics was her calling. She is passionate about improving the health of children and adolescents and is especially interested in working to change local and global policies to positively impact the health of children over their entire lifetime. Melissa plans to work as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner to provide care and promote wellness for underserved populations in Seattle. She is looking forward to using what she has learned from the Global WACh program to be an advocate for children and their families.