Prior to moving to Maryland in 2011, Melissa served as the Chief Juvenile Attorney for Mohave County in Kingman, Arizona, where she actively represented juveniles in delinquency and dependency proceedings. While in Arizona, Ms. Ricke helped implement the Mohave County Juvenile Drug Court and Teen Court programs. Melissa has exclusively practiced juvenile criminal law since becoming a lawyer in 2006 and was named a "Rising Star" by the Arizona Public Defender's Association in 2007. Ms. Ricke holds a Master' Degree in Criminal Justice and Crisis Counseling in addition to her legal degree from the University of New Hampshire. In her spare time, Melissa volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Baltimore City.