Melissa is a dedicated business owner and community advocate in St Louis, MO. She owns and operates Pet Supplies Plus locations in Oakville and Concord, where she is committed to serving local families and supporting the well-being of pets within the community.

Career
Prior to her career in business, Melissa dedicated ten years to teaching at the elementary level. Following the birth of her three boys, she became a stay-at-home mother and continued her commitment to education by actively participating in their schools, including serving as Mothers Club president and coordinating classroom activities.

Community Support
Melissa has played an active role in the St Louis Community for many years, supporting numerous local events and initiatives. During COVID 19 pandemic, she helped lead the Fill the Pickup community food drive that provided more than 125,000 meals to families in need.

Melissa is on the board of COPE24, Changing Our Parenting Experience... A US nonprofit organization focused on preventing child abuse and neglect by educating future parents about parenting skills development. It's mission is to make parenting skills and child development a national priority, especially in high school.

Melissa is a 17 year breast cancer survivor who has transformed her personal experience into a source of encouragement for others navigating similar journeys. In 2025 she joined the Battle of the Boxes breast cancer support group. She collected more than 60 pink boxes of hope and distributed them to patients at Siteman Cancer Center in St Louis going through chemo and radiation treatment.

She is also the author of Storm Buddies, a children's book set, which was developed to help children understand and cope with storms in a comforting way.

Education
Melissa holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Southeast Missouri State University.

Personal
Melissa and her husband, Joe, have been married for 33 years and are proud parents of three sons, all graduates of Oakville. They remain strong supporters of the Oakville community.