Melissa has studied and practiced mindfulness, emotional intelligence, effective communication and team building for the past twenty years. She began with a psychology degree at Stanford University working under James Gross — director of the Stanford Psychophysiology Laboratory — completing her honors thesis on verbal and nonverbal communication styles.
After Stanford, Melissa transitioned to a 15 year career in design and technology as a User Experience Designer. She worked with engineering teams in Agile environments to create products that are both user-friendly and highly functional, combining her psychology background with her love for user-centered design. She has created digital experiences for a broad range of clients such as Sony, Wells Fargo, FedEx, and most recently, Beachbody.
In parallel, Melissa has practiced zen buddhism for over a decade including meditation and koan study. This practice took her from an intellectual understanding of the mind, to an experiential “knowing” of the mind. From 2014-2016, she was a coach for Landmark’s Team, Management & Leadership Program where she trained participants in effective communication, team building, and performance. She is currently studying Spiritual Psychology at the University of Santa Monica.