Melissa is a Registered Nurse and community leader with over a decade of experience in pediatric, palliative, and community-based care. Guided by a trauma-informed and family-centered approach, she specializes in grief and bereavement support, program development, and culturally responsive service delivery. Melissa holds advanced certifications in children’s and youth grief, bereavement, and palliative care through Pallium Canada, SickKids Learning Institute, and Wilfrid Laurier University. She holds her Canadian Certification in Perinatal Mental Health, along with training and understanding in Mutual Support and Debriefing. Through her leadership, she is committed to reducing stigma around grief, promoting emotional wellness, and building compassionate, connected communities equipped to support one another through loss and care. As the Community Grief Facilitator for the Nova Scotia Hospice Palliative Care Association (NSHPCA), Melissa leads initiatives to strengthen grief literacy, enhance organizational capacity, and foster collaboration among community-based organizations and service providers. Her work focuses on helping communities move from crisis response toward proactive, grief-informed practice that supports both those experiencing loss and the professionals who care for them.