She currently serves as the Chair of the Department of Theatre & Dance at Converse College, a private Liberal Arts Women’s College in Spartanburg, SC. Prior to accepting her position at Converse, Melissa worked for over twenty five years as an actor, costumer and teacher, and has been a proud member of AEA since 1993. She has worked regionally at such venues as Virginia’s Barter Theatre (resident company member), Cleveland’s Great Lakes Theatre, the Hilton Head Playhouse, Missouri’s Arrow Rock Lyceum, Syracuse Stage, Germany’s Frankfurt (English Speaking) Theatre and the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. She received her MFA as a Returning Professional: Acting from Kent State University, OH, and her MA in Theatre/Costume Design from Miami University, OH. Melissa is proud to be an Associate Teacher in the Great Lakes Michael Chekhov Consortium.