Melzi was born and raised in Lima, Peru. She came to the U.S. in 1985 to pursue her undergraduate degree at Clark University, where she double-majored in Spanish literature and psychology. She continued her studies in developmental psychology at Boston University, where she obtained her doctorate in 1998. Melzi’s work examines the multiple ways Latino families support the learning and development of their preschool-aged children through their family engagement and discourse practices. Her work has been funded by the Spencer Foundation, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Brady Educational Foundation, and Brooke Astor Foundation.