Melinda is originally from Illinois and always had a love for animals. At 17 she signed up for the military with the plan to go to school to be a veterinarian when her enlistment was complete. However, life had a different plan for her. After leaving the military she moved to Michigan. She started her career in veterinary medicine as an assistant in April 2001 and was soon accepted to a Veterinary Technology program which she started August 2001.  She obtained her Licensed Veterinary Technician in 2003. She has worked general practice, dermatology, lab instructor at the program she graduated from, cat only clinic, and emergency before she moved to Arizona in October 2020. As soon as she could she test for her Arizona Certified Veterinary Technician so she could get back to doing what she loves. She worked at AMC of Deer Valley in 2021. 

Unfortunately, her body began feeling the effects of working as an LVT/CVT for so many years. She took a job as a claims processor at a pet insurance company. After being gone for 2 years from working in the hospital she missed doing what she loved and had a passion for.  She returned to AMC DV to work some Saturdays and a couple of evenings during the week.  She has 4 cats – Geisha, Akane, Soul Patch, Aegon and a beagle named Azkarra.