About Melissa
I have lived in North Carolina since 1995, when I arrived from Pennsylvania (where I grew up and attended college) to attend graduate school. After three years of being a poor graduate student, I decided to stop school early after attaining my Master’s degree. Even though I was ready to be finished with graduate school, I had a life in the Triangle area of North Carolina and saw no reason to leave. I lived in Raleigh until September 2004, then spent 8 months in Cary before I came to my senses and moved to Durham, where I now live.
After working as a Developmental Disabilities Trainer, Licensed Preschool Teacher, Case Manager for people with developmental disabilities, and in various roles at an early childhood nonprofit, I made a total career shift in March 2004 with the help of a former supervisor. I’m now a Senior Health Outcomes Scientist with Research Triangle Institute-Health Solutions. You can check out my profile on the Leadership Page under Health Outcomes Strategy–it’s pretty snazzy. I like my “new” job, and remain grateful for the opportunity to work with lots of smart people. It also doesn’t hurt that I’m now in a much more lucrative field (pharmaceuticals) than any of my previous occupations.
I have a dog, a black Lab mix named Josie, who is 10 and a half years old and can be quite a handful at times. She’s very cute and sweet, but has severe separation (and thunderstorm) anxiety. I recently took her off of Prozac (yes, Prozac), then we went through a two-week “washout” period before I could start her on a much higher dose of a drug she’s taken before (Clomicalm). So far, so good.
Here are a couple of pictures of her at the wonderful petsitter’s. She loves it there!
I like to be outside: hiking, camping, climbing, bicycling, etc. I’m not such a good cook, although I’m a decent baker. I have taken dance lessons in the recent past (East Coast Swing and Lindy), and I have found that I can get to a certain point of competence with my dancing, although I’m certainly not a natural by any means. But it’s fun and I like it that I can do it (eventually).
I have two brothers, two sisters-in-law, three nieces (and another little one on the way), and a step-niece (living in Minneapolis, MN and Portland, OR). My parents live in one of those golf cart communities in Florida, with lots of other white Republicans.
