A mother, a teacher, a life-long learner.... Melanie is mother to a 12-year-old son and a 15-year-old daughter. She also has a Yorkie named Blue, a cat named Ellie, and a brand new kitten named Gus. With a bachelor's degree in Special Education Grades K-12, a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction, and 19 years of teaching experience, Melanie started an educational blog called All Access Pass to share her teaching strategies and stories. A 2015 "Best Middle Level Practices" award recipient from the Ohio Middle Level Association and lovingly called, "Mom-Wow" by her children, Melanie is happy to release her first book, How Self-Love Woke the Mama Bear: Opening a Gift After Nineteen Years.