Melissa Burnett grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and attended Allegheny College where she earned a degree in Environmental Science and minored in physics and Astronomy. During her time in school, she completed and presented research at the Biosphere 2 Rainforest. She received Honorable Mention at the Student Art Showcase for her photography. She was also one of the founding members of Green Students of Color Society at Allegheny College. Melissa is passionate about appropriately dealing with mental health, the environment (spending time in it, using renewable energy, limiting pollution etc.), and daily gratitude and appreciating the small things. Her hobbies include photography, watercolor painting, and baking. Melissa was a member of our South Hilltop cohort and served with Western Pennslyvania Conservancy as Community Forestry Fellow.