After earning two college degrees in Accounting & Business Management, Melanie went on to Cosmetology School and graduated top of her class at the #1 Aveda Institute in the United States. Afterward, she was personally trained one-on-one by a U.S. and British National Hairdressing Champion who worked side-by-side with Vidal Sassoon.

Soon afterward, Melanie worked as a Professional Stylist on the hit Broadway show “42nd Street”, and was a SAG union member.

16 years ago, she earned the designation of American Board Certified Master Haircolorist, and soon after became an educator for the organization. Melanie was the very first person to introduce non-toxic and ammonia-free hair color to the ABCH organization. Melanie is a former judge / exam evaluator for the ABCH (one of only 19 people to ever be awarded that designation ).

She is the founder of the Raw Hair Organic Salon in Naples, Florida, one of the very first organic / non-toxic hair salons in the U.S, and is widely regarded as one of the top Curly & Natural hair salons in the country, with a daily world-wide clientele.

Melanie has created over 75 natural & organic hair, beauty, skin, and pet products, sold in over 100 countries world-wide, including the Raw Curls organic brand for curly & natural hair, and RH Organics Skin Care, a line of the highest quality natural & organic anti-aging products in the market, at an affordable price.

She is the founder of the Raw Curls Academy (now The Curl Institute), a professional stylist training program that teaches licensed stylists how to cut, color, and style curly hair.

Melanie is the Expert Panelist on the award-winning weekly Curly Hair Q&A Show, that was recognized as the “#2 Hair Industry Podcast that you Must Listen to in 2019”.