Melanie is a founding member of the Friends of King William Animal Shelter and has been on the board since its inception.  

​

She retired in 2019 after a 37-year career as an RN, with 35 of that in the Operating Room. She started out at Richmond Memorial Hospital and ended up at Henrico Doctors hospital for the last 32 years of her career, with 23 of those serving on the vascular/transplant team.  

​

Melanie lives in Aylett with her husband Mark, along with their five cats, 30 chickens and usually some foster kitties. She volunteers at the shelter two days a week, as well as fostering kitties for them. She also fosters kittens for Indian Rivers Humane Society. In just over two years, Melanie has fostered close to 50 felines. She is committed to helping the shelter bring their vision to fruition.