Melissa’s winterguard journey began with Cortland “Purple Haze” Winterguard, where she performed from 1999–2002 before returning as an assistant instructor in the 2005 and 2006 show seasons.

After stepping away from the activity to spend the next 20 years raising her family and advancing her degree in healthcare, Melissa never completely put down the equipment. She casually taught her kids to spin along the way. Her son is now in his third year of winterguard, has officially surpassed her in skill, and continues to exceed her expectations in every way.

When it comes to equipment, Melissa’s favorites are flag first, rifle second, and saber third. She loves the details that turn a good performance into a great one and will forever be the one asking, “Where are your feet?”

Outside of guard, Melissa works as a Family Nurse Practitioner in Owego. Prior to becoming an FNP, she spent 17 years as a registered nurse. She is the mom of three children, ages 13, 11, and 8, and enjoys gardening and traveling whenever she gets the chance.

Her music taste covers quite the spectrum, with Stevie Nicks and Ozzy Osbourne topping her list of favorite artists. And speaking of Spectrum, one of her all-time favorite winterguard productions is Spectrum 2001.

Melissa is excited to be back in the activity after two decades away and looks forward to sharing her love of winterguard, attention to detail, and probably a whole lot of reminders about your feet.