Melissa was initially appointed by the local court and then by Governor Jay Nixon on October 1, 2013.

She was elected by the voters in 2014 and re-elected in 2018 and 2022. 

Melissa was appointed to the Circuit Court Budget Committee serving from 2023 - 2024. That committee consists of judges from across the state and only 1 circuit clerk. She has served on several Boards such as the Missouri Court Reporters Association and served as President of the Missouri Circuit Clerks Association in 2019. 

At the state level, she has served on committees such as:

• the Judicial Leadership Committee

• eAccess Committee

• Circuit Clerk Weighted Workload Study Committee

• Cognos and OSCA Reports Management Group.

• Currently serving on the Show-Me Courts Case Management Task Team and has been appointed by the Missouri Supreme Court to the Clerk Education Committee.

  She is a certified Court Manager with the National Center for State Courts,

She is a certified Court Manager with the National Center for State Courts, Williamsburg, Virginia. 

She is a member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church and Jasper County Republican Women.

She graduated from Missouri Western State University with a degree in Legal Studies and began her career working for the Missouri Judiciary in September, 1998. She furthered her studies and became a Certified Court Reporter on April 18, 2009.