GUEST BIO

As an advocate for disability rights and overall inclusion, Melanie's history & career include sharing her professional connection(s) with a wide range of audiences. She's a 3-time Easterseals Disability Film Challenge Winner, professional speaker, and works as on-air talent in adaptive fashion at QVC.

In 2025, she launched her platform "Disability Reality Media", which she’s taken to Sundance, Tribeca, and SXSW. Through her platform, she has been able to interview artists, such as: Gerard Butler “How to Train Your Dragon”, Rose Byrne “If I had Legs I’d Kick You”, Marissa Bode “Wicked & Wicked: For Good”, Jillian Mercado “The L Word” & “Dying For Sex”, and more!

Beyond her career in the entertainment world, Melanie is a right arm acquired amputee, living with Lupus, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, and Endometriosis. She is a proud ambassador for the Lucky Fin Project. As she’s also a certified Adaptive Yoga teacher, each summer she leads an adaptive yoga workshop to kick off the Lucky Fn Project’s annual picnic. Her focus in yoga, overall is for students with disabilities, their caretakers, & our allies in a wide range of different communities. She also has adapted these sessions into wellness events for corporate workplaces, affectionately known as “office yoga” which she has led for The New York Times, QVC, JCC Chicago and more.

Nothing means more to Melanie than her work in the disability community, as she truly connects with the notion that we are all stronger together.