I grew up in western Pennsylvania and moved to Michigan in 2008 to work in the automotive industry, first in high voltage battery integration and then in diesel combustion and emission controls development. During that time I served a national vehicle competition, EcoCAR The NeXt Challenge, as diesel subject matter expert (2010-11) and was appointed to the Penn State University Center for Sustainability Advisory Board as General Motors’ representative (2010-12). A graduate of both Wayne State and Penn State Universities, I hold a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a M.S. and doctorate in Fuel Science.

Mel’s occupation according to her six-year-old son.

Feeling bogged down by bureaucracy and enlivened by motherhood, I opted to resign from automotive so I could focus on my family and find a more creative work outlet. Luckily I found my way to Jennifer at Scribe Publishing Company, and here I am! It’s been a meaningful and enlightening journey, and somehow after eight years it feels like we’re just getting started.

Working with authors and exploring their motivations and visions is one of the best parts of my job. I love using numbers (data) to guide our direction while staying true to the values and visions of our authors and our company. Every single book release is new and different, which keeps me on my toes, broadens my perspective and develops my expertise within this industry.

Personally, the smell of old books rates high, as does historical fiction. Passionate about truly living life each and every day, I enjoy yoga, podcasts, outdoor adventures with my people, meditating, gardening and cooking, reading, writing, and making pottery. Follow me on Goodreads to see what my brain’s into. You can also find me on LinkedIn or watch my interview with Indie Reads TV or read about my  participation in the Independent Book Publishers Association in the Oakland Press.