Melinda graduated from UDSL in 2008 as a member of the first cohort of UDSL students to finish their degree in two years. During law school, Melinda externed with a federal judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio and was a member of law review. Following graduation from UDSL, Melinda worked for the law school's academic support and bar passage programs before accepting a position as the University's first Clery Act compliance coordinator in 2015. Currently, she serves as UD's Director of Clery and Safety Compliance.
Melinda's career has centered on higher education, curriculum development, and teaching. Before attending law school, she directed the University's basic course program in the Department of Communication, taught courses in mass media studies, and developed training curriculum for graduate teaching assistants. In her current role at UD, she develops training for faculty and staff related to Clery compliance and emergency response. In 2021, Melinda joined D. Stafford and Associates as a consultant and conducts multi-day courses for Clery compliance practitioners. As a member of the National Association of Clery Compliance Officers and Professionals (NACCOP), Melinda serves as a chair of the organization's research committee, regularly presents at the annual conference, and instructs a full-day pre-conference workshop on annual reporting requirements. In 2024, Melinda graduated with her EdD after successfully presenting her research and completing her dissertation in practice, Exploring Officer Perceptions of Community-Oriented Policing on a University Campus."