Melissa is President for NPAWNY and has been active on the board for several years serving on various committees and President-Elect. Melissa graduated summa cum laude from the University at Buffalo with a Masters of Science degree from the Family Nurse Practitioner program in 2003. She completed her Bachelors of Science in Nursing at the University of Buffalo, graduating magna cum laude in 2000. Her clinical training includes cardiothoracic surgery, cardiology, and internal medicine. Melissa is Board-Certified in Family Health.

Melissa works in Cardiothoracic Surgery at South Buffalo Mercy Hospital. She manages the peri-operative care of patients undergoing various open-heart and thoracic surgery. She performs procedures such as chest tube and line insertion and manages common postoperative problems such as congestive heart failure, infection, and arrhythmias. She also provides education to both families and staff regarding each patient’s needs. Follow-up care, communication among health care providers, and discharge planning are also key elements of her role.

Melissa received the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Award from WNY NAPNAP in 2003 and the Federal Nurse Traineeship Award from the University of Buffalo in 2001. She is also an active member of the Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Honor Society.

She has stated, “Mandatory collaboration places unnecessary constraints on nurse practitioners practice which creates barriers to cost-effective quality care. Through working with our state organization, I hope to raise public awareness of key NP issues related to barriers impacting NP practice to remove statutory collaboration in New York and ensure NPs are reimbursed for their services.”

She is excited about her leadership role in the organization and looks forward to increasing the visibility of the profession through community service with continued emphasis on public relations. Her interests include skiing, running, reading, cooking, and traveling. She resides at home with her husband in Clarence Center.