Biography: Melinda (she/her) joins the SAAS faculty in 2024 intending to provide safe spaces for students to explore their authentic selves and ask deep questions. She previously taught upper school English and senior capstone at Hawai’i Preparatory Academy on the Big Island; served as the college counselor and senior capstone teacher at Green School Bali; and taught ESL in Japan, Taiwan, and Indonesia as a Fulbright Fellow. She taught philosophy at the university level and loves supporting students in articulating, refining, and investigating their own questions. Melinda graduated from The University of Iowa with Honors in Philosophy, where she also focused on dance and political science. She holds a Master of Science in International Development from Tulane University and a graduate certificate in International School Counseling from Lehigh University. Her favorite activities include reading historical fiction and high-quality journalism, eating delicious food, hiking in the woods, and practicing yoga.