Melissa is known for her attention to style on a wakeboard. The Southern California resident takes a nod from her snowboarding and skateboarding background and tries to grab all her tricks. She boasts technical ability on sliders as well as on the wake. 2005 started out as her strongest season yet, with second place finishes at both PWT stops and a second place overall ranking for the tour.

One of the top female freeriders in the sport, Melissa is pushing the limits of style for women on sliders and off the wake. Her blind 360s are one of the most stylish tricks thrown in the women's division. The 2003 X Games silver medalist has been concetrating on freeriding, which has actually translated into strong contest finishes, including 2nd place at the Portland Vans Triple Crown in June.