Melissa Schultz

**Melissa Lydia Schultz** is the Sole Survivor of *Zovivor: Yap*.

A stabilizing presence on an otherwise chaotic season, Melissa used her skills of patience and observation from her career in science to put herself in a dominant decision-making position on the Kanifay tribe. Aligning with Ari Yokoyama and Abby Nichols early on, then with Pedro Tejada to gain access to his hidden immunity idol, Melissa entered the merge in a powerful position. She was able to systematically eliminate every opposing player, getting to the final 4 with her desired alliance intact. There, she was able to convince Ari to turn on Abby at the final 4, then she won the final immunity challenge, allowing her to cut jury threat Gillian Habersberger at the final 3. At the final tribal council, the jury respected her clinical approach to the game, and she won the title of Sole Survivor over Ari in a 6-3 vote.

## Profile

**Pronouns**: She/Her
**Age**: 30
**Location**: Providence, RI
**Occupation**: Research Scientist
**Hobbies**: ---
**Pet Peeves**: ---
**What are three words to describe you?** ---
**What is one accomplishment you're most proud of?** ---
**Why will you be the Sole Survivor?** ---
 **Which previous player do you identify with the most?** ---

## Survivor

Natalie began the game on the Foa Foa tribe. She was quickly recruited by Russell Hantz into his "Dumbass Girls" alliance, being labeled the "long-haired blonde". During Foa Foa's losing streak, Russell did not vote Natalie out because he thought that she was the most loyal to him and that he could beat her in the Final Tribal Council because of her weakness in challenges. Privately, Natalie believed that she could win if she stayed with someone like Russell, who rubbed people the wrong way. In the end, Natalie survived Foa Foa's losing streak and made it to the merge with Russell, Jaison Robinson, and Mick Trimming.

During the beginning of the merge, she proved to be an asset to the Foa Foa Four. Due to befriending several members of the original Galu tribe, Natalie was able to sway them into voting out Erik Cardona instead of Jaison. Following this, Kelly Sharbaugh was eliminated after Russell's strategic play of a Hidden Immunity Idol. At the next Tribal Council, there was a tie between Natalie and Laura Morett, but Natalie remained safe, due to Russell being able to convince John Fincher to betray the Galu Alliance. Natalie, along with the rest of the Foa Foa Four plus Shambo Waters, who flipped to Foa Foa's side, then proceeded to vote out all the remaining Galu members. However, their plans were put on hold when Brett Clouser went on an immunity streak, causing the Foa Foa Four to lose Shambo. Natalie became the target next should Brett win immunity as she was the least likely to be able to beat Brett in the Final Immunity Challenge. Natalie went to Russell and convinced him that he needed her because she was no threat in the final vote. Russell believed this and planned to target either Jaison, as he had mentally checked out of the game in the preceding days, or Mick, because he was a jury threat, next. At Tribal Council, Natalie's plan paid off and Jaison was voted out.

Natalie, Mick, and Russell were heavily focused on getting rid of Brett, as with an almost exclusively Galu jury, and Brett's likability, charm, and late immunity run, all three realized that there would be no hope for any of them to beat him in a jury vote. At the Final Immunity Challenge, Natalie dropped out of the challenge second, leaving it to Russell to beat Brett. Russell managed to defeat Brett and seal his fate, allowing Natalie, Mick, and Russell to breathe a sigh of relief in finally eliminating Brett, and become the Final Three.

At the Final Tribal Council, most of the jury berated Russell for his overly aggressive and deceitful gameplay and poor social performance, alternatively ignored or dismissed Mick for his poor leadership, "feckless" gameplay, and for barely interacting outside the Foa Foa Four, and called Natalie a coattail-rider. Erik, however, argued that Natalie was just as deserving and dangerous as the other finalists due to her strategy and even said that he was voting for her. Ultimately, it came down to Natalie's social interaction with the other contestants that allowed her to receive seven out of the nine jury votes. Thus, Natalie was able to prove Russell's judgment wrong and she was crowned the 19th Sole Survivor in a 7-2-0 vote.

At the live Reunion Show, hurt by his loss to Natalie, protesting that "she didn't do anything", Russell allowed Natalie to keep her $1 million and offered Natalie an additional $100,000 for the title of Sole Survivor. She politely declined the offer, stating the title of Sole Survivor is priceless and should only be obtained by one means: winning the votes of the jury.

* Challenge History
* Voting History

**^1** In Template:Ep, the vote ended with a 5-5 tie between Natalie and Laura, forcing a revote. On the revote, Natalie did not receive enough votes to be eliminated.