Melissa was born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She moved to Atlanta to obtain her undergraduate education at Emory University. In her third year, she was accepted into Emory’s Goizueta School of Business and received her Bachelor of Business Administration in 2009. After graduation, she spent a year working for a Plaintiff’s firm specializing in workers’ compensation law, which furthered her desire to become a lawyer. Melissa attended law school at Georgia State University School of Law where she served as a member of Law Review and the Moot Court Board. She received her Juris Doctor Degree in 2013.

Melissa has spent the first ten years of her practice defending workers’ compensation claims in Georgia and Tennessee. Having sat on the opposite side of the courtroom for so many years, Melissa has gained key insight into how defendants attack valid injury claims. She hopes to draw on her experience to protect the rights of personal injury victims and ensure they receive the justice they deserve.

Melissa is currently a member of the State Bar of Georgia, the State Bar of Tennessee, and the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association.

She lives in Brookhaven with her husband, their two kids, Leo and Zoe, and their dog, Ollie. She comes from a large Filipino family who mostly reside in the southeast. When not in the office, she enjoys spending time with them.