Hi friends and neighbors,

I’m Melissa. I’m a proud West Side resident, dedicated partner, mom to a fifth-generation Hilltop kid and a licensed Social Worker. And I’m running to represent Columbus and District 6 on Columbus City Council. 

I’ve always felt called to serve others. It’s why I decided to become a social worker — so I could dedicate my life to helping people and addressing social challenges. During the early years of my career working as a behavioral health therapist, it became evident that many of the issues impacting my clients’ mental health and wellbeing weren’t “disorders”. They were simply having normal reactions to abnormal situations and hardships being experienced in the world around them.

So, I shifted my focus to public service, where I have been working to not just treat the ‘symptoms’ of the challenges so many people experience, but to develop programs and change policies to improve the health and well-being of our City — and everyone who lives in it.

Over the past decade I’ve worked hard to create positive change across our neighborhoods. Whether creating youth prevention programs, expanding access to resources for people who use drugs, or launching community empowerment programs: my life and my work has been rooted in service to others, social justice, and respect and dignity for all people. 

I’ll continue to fight for good in Columbus’ neighborhoods, and I’d be proud to do this work as your next Columbus City Council member.