Originally from New York, Melissa moved to Florida in 2017. Melissa graduated from St. Joseph’s College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education, a Dual Certification in Special Education and a Minor in Human Relations. After many years of teaching Special Education in New York, she moved to Acworth, Georgia, where she began a new career path at Cobb County School District, the 23rd largest school district in the country, as one of two Special Education Parent Mentors for the county. With this position came the responsibility of improving communication and relationships, guiding families through the Special Education process; initiating, planning and executing county-wide trainings and events for the families, including workshops, monthly support groups, an annual Different Abilities Talent Show, and an annual county Resource Fair. During this time, Melissa began volunteering and became a staff member for both Surfers For Autism and Paddle For Autism, two Florida-based Non-Profit organizations. She has been collaborating to plan their 18 events, consisting of up to 2000 attendees, as well as their many fundraisers for the last 7 years. With this experience and the shift in her career path, Melissa found her passion for planning and executing events. She joined the S.A.F.E. team in early 2018 as a Security Guard, and went on to work full-time for 24/7. She was eager to learn all about the events and sports side of event planning and take on more responsibility, and is excited to expand her knowledge and continue her growth within the industry.
